Thursday October 6, 2005
Palm biofuel to replace diesel
BY TEOH TEIK HOONG
 |
It will be implemented after the Biofuel Bill is tabled and passed by Parliament next year.
“Once the Bill is passed, industries, motorists and petrol stations will be given a year to voluntarily switch to biofuel.
“We want the public to test the fuel and give us feedback,” Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui told The Star.
He said once the trial period was over, the Government would make it mandatory for diesel to be replaced with biofuel.
“There will no longer be unadulterated diesel on sale. We will enforce it and make everyone comply,” he added.
Records from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry showed that last year, industry demand for diesel was 2.8 billion litres while diesel sold at subsidised prices for other uses totalled 5.56 billion litres.
Having a 5% mix would mean cutting down the reliance on diesel for industrial use by 140,000 litres and for other uses by 278,000 litres annually.
The use of biofuel will also help cut down carbon monoxide emissions from vehicles and machines, as the combustion of biofuel produces carbon dioxide.
Chin said the Government’s target was to export 180,000 tonnes of biofuel by 2007.
“We have the capacity to produce enough for domestic use,” he said.
Former Malaysian Palm Oil Association chief executive M.R. Chandran said it was important the Government ensure that petroleum companies complied with the National Biofuel Policy and Biofuel Act.
“We need strong political will to compel petrol kiosks to make biofuel available,” he said.
He said it was important for biofuel producers and petroleum companies to work together to make biofuel available to the public at petrol stations.
Chandran said Malaysia could convert 500,000 tonnes of its total production of 15 million tonnes of crude palm oil into biofuel.
“The 5% mix of processed palm oil with diesel will not affect the performance of vehicles,” he added.
On concerns that the push to use biofuel meant clearing more land for planting oil palm, Chandran said any expansion in the future would be done in a sustainable manner.
“The country is the top producer of palm oil in the world with almost four million hectares in plantations.
“Our maximum capacity is to plant another 600,000ha and produce a maximum of 20 million tonnes of palm oil annually,” he said.
News Poll
- Man posted doctored photos of Nik Aziz
- Heartbreaking wait for mum
- Sodomy II: Karpal claims judge lied (Updated)
- The world just got bigger
- Opposition leaders decry court’s ruling
- Thumbs-up for Najib
- Weather warning for Perak, Selangor and Sabah
- 5-0 for BN’s Zambry
- Saiful files report over death threat
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- 60 lose RM25mil in gold investment scam
- Canberra to set new skills list
- Sodomy II: Karpal claims judge lied (Updated)
- MAS offers CNY bargains
- ‘Flashing candy’ a health hazard: Health Ministry
- Fleet card cloning ring busted with arrest of trio
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- Vietnamese plumber fined RM10,000 over RM75 bribe
- Toyota puts the brakes on problem
- Manila joins hunt for Semporna gunmen
RSS
