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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider DOE preparing standards for higher ethanol blend to gasoline products

DOE preparing standards for higher ethanol blend to gasoline products

Published Jan 12, 2024 09:08 am

At A Glance

  • The Biofuels Act, in particular, mandates that "all liquid fuels for motors and engines sold in the Philippines shall contain locally-sourced biofuel component conforming to the PNS."

The Department of Energy (DOE) is already preparing warranted standards for the targeted escalation of ethanol blend to gasoline products at the level of 20% (E20) by volume from currently at 10%.

To firm up the eventual Philippine National Standard (PNS) for gasoline with higher bioethanol content, it had already solicited inputs this month from the relevant stakeholders in the industry.

In an invitation to comment furnished to the industry players, DOE Director Rino E. Abad stipulated that “any proposed change to the specifications must be supported with technical explanation/justification.”

In a draft Circular of the DOE, it emphasized that the targeted specifications and standards shall be set in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Product Standards (BPS), Department of Science and Technology (DOST, as well as other stakeholders.

The Biofuels Act, in particular, mandates that “all liquid fuels for motors and engines sold in the Philippines shall contain locally-sourced biofuel component conforming to the PNS.”

It is within that precept then that the government, with DOE in the lead, will be establishing the specifications for the added blend that shall be integrated into fuel commodities – and that will be ethanol for gasoline products in particular.

“There is a regional/global thrust towards harmonization of fuel quality standard specifications, vehicle technology and emission standards with due regard to the environment, vehicle performance, health and safety and for easier global/international trade,” the DOE stressed.

The initial blend of 10% for gasoline products was first implemented in 2013 or more than 20 years ago; and that has not gone up since then because of dilemma on local supply sourcing of ethanol.

The intent of the Biofuels Law has been to provide value-added income opportunities for Filipino farmers, but based on industry assessments, the desired outcome has not been fully accomplished because the oil sector had instead depended more on importation.

The use of sugar cane as a feedstock for bioethanol production in the country has also been raising concerns on competition with the food sector; hence, that is a nexus that policymakers would also want to be addressed in the longer term biofuels utilization in the country.

Related Tags

gasoline Department of Energy (DOE) Department of Science and Technology PNS Bureau of Product Standards
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