Higher biodiesel blend looms – DOE

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to push through next year the long-delayed increase in coco methyl ester (CME) content of biodiesel.

DOE-Oil Industry Management Bureau director Rino Abad said the agency is planning to issue by next month a circular hiking CME content of biodiesel from two percent (B2) to three percent (B3).

Abad said the target issuance of the department circular would be on January 2024.

Its effectivity, however, will be on July 2024 to give a transition period of six months.

“There is a planned transition period of six months for the effective implementation for both the oil companies and the CME producer to prepare to the increase of one percent,” Abad said.

The Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates that all liquid fuels for motors and engines sold in the Philippines shall be blended with biofuels.

The current mandated ethanol blend for gasoline has stayed at E10 or at 10 percent since 2012, while the blending of coco-biodiesel was last increased to B2 in 2007.  

The DOE earlier said the agency is looking at implementing a three percent biodiesel blending first, as they are still waiting for more studies before implementing an increase to five percent (B5).

Hiking the biodiesel blend from B2 to B5 was supposed to take place in 2020 but was delayed due to the absence of assurances on the sufficiency of biodiesel supply and logistical limitations brought about by the pandemic.