Monday June 26, 2006

Indonesia, Malaysia turn to biodiesel

peakoil.com -> bangkokpost.com :

Faced with soaring oil prices, Indonesia and Malaysia are turning to biodiesel, a fuel that cuts regular diesel with vegetable oil, to reduce emissions and costly subsidies. Indonesia last month introduced biodiesel at petrol stations in Jakarta, though it was only slightly cheaper than regular diesel [due to massive government subsidies]. The high cost of substitutes is just one of the obstacles governments around the world face in making the move to alternative energies and weening their populations off a heavy dependence on fossil fuels.

Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman said his ministry planned to build four biodiesel-processing plants in Indonesia that would together cost up to 33 million dollars, and to develop 500,000 hectares of plantations every year, with more than 1 billion dollars from the government. The Malaysian government is taking similar steps and pledged last year to implement a national biofuel policy which calls for the mandatory use of biodiesel made of 5% processed palm oil with 95% petroleum diesel for all diesel vehicles from the year 2007.

However, the push for palm oil biofuel is worrisome for some environmental groups which charge that new plantations will destroy rainforests and habitat for such threatened Indonesian wildlife as orangutans, Sumatran tigers and rhinoceroses - and also infringe on land used for local livelihoods. "It's like they're going to solve one problem by creating another," said Rudy Lumuru, executive director of Sawit Watch. "They say biofuel is to minimize air pollution, but when they cut the forests, they create a new problem."

See also :

1. China firms seek Malaysian palm oil waste for biodiesel
2. Malaysia wants to be world's biggest biodiesel producer
3. Malaysia to setup biodiesel plant
4. So much for biodiesel

(2006-06-26 13:35:44 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

Most popular blog postings on lowem.log :

1. Singapore MRT rail network length to double by 2020
2. 2010 Nissan Leaf electric car specifications : 107hp, 24KWh lithium-ion batteries, 100-mile range
3. Live spot gold price quotes chart on COMEX
4. 2010 Toyota Prius specifications released : 50 mpg, 1.8L, 134hp, Ni-MH, solar roof option
5. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011 direct download link
6. Real-time live gold and silver price quotes chart on COMEX
7. Singapore electric vehicles : Government agencies EMA and LTA to study EV introduction
8. Book review : Shut Down by William Flynn

Featured articles on lowem.log :

1. Book review : Shut Down by William Flynn
2. Singapore electric cars testing starts with 9 electric vehicles
3. Honda, GS Yuasa JV to make lithium-ion batteries for 2010/2011 Honda Civic Hybrid
4. 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid preliminary specifications released
5. 2010 Honda CR-Z hybrid, 2010 Honda Fit/Jazz hybrid models confirmed
6. 2010 Toyota Prius specifications released : 50 mpg, 1.8L, 134hp, Ni-MH, solar roof option
7. NYMEX crude oil recovers from $32.40 low after 2.2 mbpd OPEC production cut announced
8. Singapore : Nuclear power not ruled out