Philippine DOE to Accredit 5 Biofuels Plants Within Year

4 January 2009

Business Mirror. The Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) will accredit five biofuels-manufacturing facilities within the year. The country’s Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates a 2% coco methyl ester-diesel blend and a 5% ethanol and gasoline blend starting February.

Biodiesel demand was 81 million liters (21.4 million gallons US) in 2008 and is projected to more than double to 168 million liters (44.4 million gallons US) this year, according to the DOE. The DOE expects ethanol demand to grow to 269 million liters (71 million gallons) in 2009, most of which will be imported.

To date, Chemrez Technologies, Senbel Fine Chemicals, Mt. Holy Coco and Pure Essence are among the accredited biodiesel producers, while Atson Coco Inc., Lion Chemical Corp. and Freyvonne Milling Services are undergoing accreditation with the DOE.

...Leyte Agri Corp. is the only ethanol producer in the country. The DOE added that San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. is expected to start commercial operations of its ethanol plant by the middle of this month.