Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Malaysia to enforce mandatory blending of biofuel

Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/05/business/AS-FIN-Malaysia-Biofuel.php

UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia will enforce the mandatory blending of
biofuels, such as a mix of palm oil and diesel, with conventional
petroleum products within a year, a government official said Thursday.

Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities Peter Chin said the
biofuel blending program will include a government subsidy to make it
viable despite sharply higher palm oil prices in recent months.

Palm oil is a key ingredient used by the Malaysian biofuel industry,
and its price hit a record high last month amid expectations of rising
demand from the biofuels industry.

Several biofuel producers have said it might not make sense to produce
palm oil-based biofuel now because the cost of the ingredient is
nearly as much as that of the end product itself.

Chin, speaking at a biofuels conference, did not give any indication
on the extent of subsidy the government plans to give.

Malaysia and neighboring Indonesia are the world's largest producers
of palm oil.

Officials have said the fruit's oil on its own or in diesel mixtures
has been used to power private vehicles in Malaysia since 1984. Some
palm oil factories in rural plantations have used the waste from
processing edible oil to run their tractors or other equipment.

Sabri Ahmad, chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, said Thursday
that palm oil prices are expected to remain firm because of robust
demand from China and India amid a slowdown in production in Malaysia
and Indonesia.

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