The Philippine Biodiesel Association (TPBA) assured the Department of Energy (DOE) that the country can supply the needed 5-percent coco-diesel blend (B5) in the pump, expressing its “full support” for the program.
According to Jun Lao, the spokesperson of TPBA, the industry has an overcapacity of coco methyl ester (CME), which can accommodate the requirements for the shift to B5 from 2 percent (B2).
“There is overcapacity among coco methyl ester producers in serving the current B2 blend, the capacities were built in anticipation of the shift to B5 as guided by the Energy Department’s Philippine Energy plan,” he said.
CME is a biofuel made from coconut oil that is converted to a diesel-substitute while exhibiting combustion-improving properties to lower harmful emissions and improve mileage.
“The combined capacity at present is around 850 million liters, more than enough to treat 17 billion liters of automotive diesel per year,” Lao said.
Previous estimates showed that 695 million liters of CME would be needed for the B5 shift. This, according to Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Benjamin Madrigal, would help the coconut sector grow.
“The increase in the domestic demand for coconut oil through the full implementation of B5 will definitely improve the copra farm gate price, and will eventually redound to the benefits of our farmers,” he said.
The DOE and the PCA are part of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), the authority tasked to study and implement the biodiesel law. The anticipation is that the shift to B5 will happen this year.
Blending coco biodiesel or coconut methyl ester (CME) in local diesel started in 2007 upon the implementation of Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006. On the first year of the law, diesel was blended with 1 percent CME. It was increased to 2 percent in 2007 and has remained at that level since.
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