RP sets ambitious target on E85 ethanol standard
Thursday, November 23, 2006
By MYRNA M. VELASCO
The Philippines is setting ambitious target of aligning its biofuel standards, primarily for ethanol, with pioneering countries such as Brazil.
Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla bared this policy direction would be one of the key agenda that President Arroyo will lay down to be tackled at the Asean Business Council meeting, in conjunction with the Summit of ASEAN leaders in Cebu next month.
"The President recognizes that there can be a niche for the Philippines to a good start in promoting biofuels," the energy chief stressed.
He emphasized the penultimate goal the country would work on would be to hit the E85 blend (which means 85 percent ethanol blend to gasoline product), which is now a standard for Brazil.
Lotilla added that President Arroyo has already mandated the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to undertake a deeper study on flexi-fuel vehicles, consonant with Asean countries’ car manufacturing programs.
The purpose of the study, he said, is "to see how government can give this (policy agenda) a big push."
In Brazil, E85 ethanol blend is a program underpinned by US car manufacturer Ford Motor Company.
For the Philippines, the biggest hurdle it would have to deal with is in ensuring sustainability of feedstock so that disruption of ethanol supply would not hurt the country’s biofuels program.
Even with Congress still to complete bicameral deliberations on the proposed Biofuels Act, the energy secretary is not losing confidence that the measure would be passed before the session ends.
To a great extent, the promotion of biofuels for wider commercial use is seen as the saving grace for most of the oil importdependent Asean countries from immense exposure to volatility in global oil prices.
In previous meetings of ASEAN energy ministers, with the participation of regional partners China, South Korea and Japan, calls have also been set forth for them to draw up a coordinated program "to ensure harmonized product and quality standards for biofuels."
posted by philpower @ 1:19 PM,
