Total Philippines: Ethanol Supply to Boom in Next Two Years

THE next two years may be the banner year for the local ethanol-supply industry, Ernst Wanten, Total (Philippines) Corp. president and managing director, indicated to reporters in an interview on Friday.

“Though there is an ethanol-supply shortage today, the government needs to encourage more local ethanol producers to put up the needed processing plants,” Wanten said.

The recently appointed Total official said there is a problem in securing ethanol owing to the shortage in local and international supply.

Wanten said his company has already fully complied with the 10-percent ethanol blend as mandated in the Biofuels Act of 2006. He even shared that there could even be a supply shortage in 2011, when all oil companies blend 10 percent of ethanol (E10) in their entire gasoline product line. Read more

Makati City to showcase E-jeepneys on Earth Day

To promote alternatives to fossil fuels, the city of Makati will showcase its electric jeepneys in a motorcade of electric vehicles on April 22, Earth Day.

Makati will join the “Byaheng Malinis, Byaheng Kay Ganda [A Clean, Beautiful Trip],” a motorcade around Metro Manila to advocate the use of vehicles powered by engines that do not use fossil fuels, which cause pollution and global warming.

The country’s financial district is known for rolling out the Philippines’ first electric-powered jeepneys in 2007. Read more

Unioil to Expand Philippine Network

Despite the financial crunch, Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. has committed to expand its retails network this year.

Unioil general manager Luisito Medina-Cue said they would open two more service and retail stations located at strategic in Quezon City and Caloocan.

He said the new stations form part of the company’s expansion program that also involves the upgrading of existing facilities in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Read more

Go Ethanol, DOE Urges Motorists

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes on Friday urged motorists to switch to ethanol-blended gasoline (E10), stressing its economic benefits not only for the government but also for consumers.

Under the Biofuels Act (Republic Act No. 9367), local oil companies are now required to sell gasoline pre-blended with 5 percent ethanol. The new requirement that took effect yesterday is expected to result in the displacement of some 208 million liters of gasoline.

“The bioethanol program is designed to reduce the country’s dependence on costly imported fuel and to help create a new domestic fuel industry,” Reyes said.

Some oil companies had been selling ethanol-blended gasoline as early as last year. Their E10 variants have also surpassed the required 5-percent blending, as oil companies chose to pre-blend gasoline with 10 percent ethanol.

“The production and use of bioethanol can serve a variety of needs,” Reyes explained. “On a national level, bioethanol can improve the balance of payments by displacing imported petroleum with domestically produced fuel. It may also provide more jobs in rural areas and alternative markets for agricultural commodities.” Read more

Country’s Oil Firms Start 5% Biodiesel Blend

Oil companies will start offering a higher biodiesel blend February 6, 2009 as mandated by the Biofuels Act of 2006.

Department of Energy (DOE) director Mario Marasigan said the National Biofuels Board (NBB) has assured of a smooth transition in the implementation of the higher biodiesel blend.

“All systems go. We do not see any problem,” Marasigan said.

The Philippines has been lagging behind the utilization of alternative fuels in Southeast Asia. Thailand, for instance, is already offering B5 or five-percent blend on their diesel products. It is also in the process of exploring the use of B10 and B20. Read more

Toyota to Bring Hybrid Cars to the Philippines

The Philippines needs it.

Akira Okabe, senior managing director of Toyota Motor Corp., affirmed the giant car manufacturer’s commitment to bring energy-efficient and environment-friendly vehicles to the Philippines.

While Okabe would not reveal the timetable for the Philippine introduction of Toyota’s hybrids – including the Toyota Prius and the high-end Lexus hybrids – he said developing countries like the Philippines need hybrid vehicles that will meet the country’s growing transport needs as well as environmental demands such as lower carbon dioxide emissions. Read more

Unioil to Put Up More Retail Stations

Unioil Philippines Inc. is investing up to P160 million next year to put up at least eight new retail stations in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Chito Medina-Cue Jr. told reporters over the weekend that they have already identified the areas for the new gas networks.

Cue admitted that they will be more aggressive next year despite the financial crunch.

“Unioil constructed only two stations this year. But we will continue to invest more. Our customers want us to set up more stations,” he said. Read more

Department of Energy May Raise Biodiesel Blend to 3%

The Department of Energy (DOE) may propose to increase the biodiesel blend to three percent in February 2009 to encourage more investors into biofuels development.

DOE director Mario Marasigan told reporters over the weekend that there are already 10 accredited biofuel manufacturers in the country.

Another two to three companies, he said, are awaiting an approval from the DOE. He identified the two new applicants as Lipitech and Unistar. Read more

Major, Indepedent Oil Firms Implement Big Price Rollback

Major and independent oil players rolled back prices of diesel and gasoline early morning of 30 October 2008.

The latest oil firm to reduce its prices is Unioil Petroleum Philippines, which according to its general manager Chito Medina-Cue, will cut back the cost of diesel by P6 per liter and gasoline by P2.50 per liter effective 2 p.m. Thursday.

“This is the biggest rollback in the history of the Philippines so far. This is bigger than the others,” he said. Read more

Congress to Probe Why Oil Firms Not Giving Bigger Rollbacks

Speaker Prospero Nograles wants the House of Representatives’ committee on energy chaired by Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo to look into the profits of oil companies.

“If the oil companies are using the deregulation law as their excuse for imposing unreasonable prices, we will also use the provisions of the deregulation law which empowers Congress to exercise oversight over these firms,” he said. Read more

Next Page »