Although failing still on the ethanol blend implementation side, the Department of Energy (DoE) has rolled out plans of increasing the blend for biodiesel to as high as 20-percent over the medium term.

In the revised energy plan circulated to industry players and other stakeholders, the department cast policy of jacking up biodiesel blend to 5.0-percent within this year, although implementation parameters have not been made public yet.

By 2015, the proposed blend will go up further to 10-percent; then at 15-percent by 2020 until it reaches the 20-percent mix by 2025.

For ethanol, the DoE is still convinced that it can set into motion the prescribed 10-percent blend (E10) starting next year; and it will be set notch higher at 15-percent by 2015; and 20-percent by 2020.

The DoE noted that the forward plan for biofuels had been based on alternative scenarios that shall propel the country into low-carbon path on its energy consumption.

Nevertheless, the department acknowledged heaps of weak spots yet to be addressed in the policy domain to drive the envisioned higher blends of biofuels way into the future. That is notwithstanding the fact that oil will continue to be “king” in the mix, primarily for the needs of the transport sector.

These concerns delve chiefly on addressing infrastructure lack and the fledgling feedstock and supply source of biofuels, especially for law-underpinned domestic production of ethanol. According to the DoE, there is a “need for recognition of the potential benefit of biofuels vis-à-vis environmental impact, energy security and rural development.”

Similarly, the energy department recognizes gap in the “deployment of biofuel-compliant vehicles and readiness to utilize higher biofuels blend”, as well as the development of standards for the proposed higher blends, mainly the 10 to 20-percent biodiesel mix and the 20 to 85-percent ethanol blend to gasoline. On the consumer-side, the government must also take the lead in “increasing market awareness for alternative energy projects.” There are also proposals at forging partnership with the academe and research institutions “to conduct on-road performance and durability tests for higher biofuels blend for vehicles.”