But oil companies want separate pumps in gas stations
By MYRNA M. VELASCO
The persuasive stance of government has finally tugged its way into convincing car companies affiliated with the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) to use at least one percent of coco methyl ester (CME) as blend to diesel products.
But they have emphasized that product utilization should be done on a voluntary basis among end-users —meaning that it should be hinged on consumer choice.
Additionally, the major oil companies, while agreeing to this proposal also demanded that the sale of biofuels, to cover both CME and ethanol, be done by having separate pumps for these at their gasoline or service stations.
This clearly implies that the sale of the product would not follow the prevailing practice set by Flying V and other new players, wherein they are selling pre-blended gasoline or diesel fuels at their stations.
According to Jeff Matsuo, chairman of the Fuels and Emission Sub-committee of CAMPI and head of government relations of Toyota Motors Philippines Corporation noted that "one percent use of biodiesel is already allowable for the automobile industry."
However, if the mix goes beyond percent, he noted that talks should be set on another level; because the impact has to be assessed.
Department of Energy director Mario C. Marasigan bared that the one percent blend for biodiesel thrived as an industry agreement and such position has already been manifested to their bureau and even to Congress as a way of supporting the government’s alternative fuels program.
Matsuo further stressed that from the passage of the proposed Biofuels Act of 2006, they have been asking for at least two years lead time before new car models could be made adoptable to using biofuels.
"We need time for us to develop, manufacture vehicles… we need two years from passage of the bill for new models to be changed," he pointed out.
He stressed that retrofitting of the vehicles is necessary so it could comply with the provisions of the new law.
For ethanol, the CAMPI official noted that there is no specific endorsement made yet by car manufacturers.
It would be noted that a wider utilization of alternative fuels has been raising some questions both among car manufacturers and the oil companies, with flurry of issues ranging from testing requirements to readiness of infrastructure for the sale of the products; and its impact on vehicles using the fuels.
|
