Guidelines issued for bioethanol fuel

In anticipation of the full implementation of the Biofuels Act next year, the Department of Energy issued guidelines for the oil companies and the public to follow and for the effective implementation of the standard specification for the anhydrous bioethanol fuel.

This following the issuance of interim guidelines for the application and participation in the fuel bioethanol program in September.

Recently, DOE issued Department Circular No. 2006-11-0012, which strictly specifies that only bioethanol conforming to the Philippine National Standard or PNS/DOE QS 007:2005 are qualified for the Fuel Bioethanol Program.

PNS/DOE QS 007:2005 which was promulgated by the Bureau of Product Standards last April 18, provides key parameters and requirements for fuel bioethanol that impact on vehicle emissions, fuel consumptions, and engine system durability and operability. These include minimum purity level of 99.3 percent for bioethanol and a minimum purity level of 96.9 percent for fuel bioethanol.

Bioethanol refers to the ethanol produced from a variety of feedstock such as grains, agricultural wastes, and other biomass resources while fuel bioethanol refers to the bioethanol suitably denatured for use as blending components to unleaded gasoline to produce E-gasoline.

Anhydrous bioethanol, on the other hand, refers to bioethanol of which almost all water content has been removed.

DOE said that while the general qualities and properties of bioethanol and fuel bioethanol have already been established among the current participants in the bioethanol program prior to the formal PNS promulgation on April 18, 2006, the circular strictly specifies that the PNS color specification of dark violet for fuel bioethanol shall be mandatory effective today, January 1, 2007.

To date, the available E-gasoline in the market varies in color depending on the company and its color brand. However, beginning January 1, 2007, dark violet color for fuel bioethanol shall be mandatory primarily to differentiate the product from other gasoline blends and from ethanols used for beverages.

The color specification will also serve as a guide for the effective monitoring and implementation of the bioethanol program especially at this phase where bioethanol sources and related products are limited to importation.

In a press release, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said this product quality standard is vital to protect the interest of the stakeholders including the government and most especially consumers.

DC 2006-11-0012 also requires proper labeling of E-gasoline in all gasoline stations. Beginning January 1, 2007, all oil industry players engaging in retailing fuel bioethanol-blended gasoline or E-gasoline in gasoline stations are required to label all E-Gasoline pumps.

The Biofules Act, which was approved by the Bicameral Conference Committee on 23 November 2006, and ratified by the Senate on 29 November 2006, mandates a minimum one-percent biodiesel by volume blended into all diesel engine fuels sold in the country within three months from the effectivity of the Act. It mandates at least a five-percent blend of bioethanol by volume into all gasoline fuel distributed and sold in the country within two years from the effectivity of the Act. The mandated blend may increase to two percent for biodiesel two years from the effectivity of the Act, and to at least 10 percent for bioethanol four years after the effectivity of the Act.

The law also provides incentives for the producers and manufacturers of local biofuels for blending into petroleum fuels. For instance, biofuels producers are already assured of a mandated market for their product, specific tax exemption and financial assistance from government financial institutions. - Wenna A. Berondo