Are we nearing B10 biodiesel availability?
IT is nearing the end of the year and B10 biodiesel has yet to be made available to the Malaysian public.
While the Government and relevant ministries continue to work towards the goal of implementation, let us take a look at what it is all about.
Currently, the diesel sold in Malaysia is B7 biodiesel, which is made up of 7% palm oil extract and 93% pure diesel. B10 will consist of 10% palm oil extract and 90% diesel.
The Government has announced that all diesel will be replaced with B10 biodiesel this year – except for the Euro 5 diesel, which will still run on a B7 mixture.
No date has been given for the launch of B10 biodiesel except that it should happen this year based on an announcement made earlier this year.
The palm oil extract in this biodiesel is called palm methyl ester (PME). This is different from other plant-based biodiesel that uses plant sources such as soy bean, rapeseed or vegetable oil.
Only two local car companies have announced that their diesel vehicles can accept B10 diesel – Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and Nasim (Peugeot).
The other companies have not made any announcement but the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) has announced that B7 diesel should still be sold in Malaysia as the B10 diesel is suitable for vehicles running on Euro 4 engines and below.
The cost of producing biodiesel can go up by one sen per litre if there is an increase of 1% in the price of PME.
Since 2013, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has carried out various lengthy tests on the usage of B10 diesel on a range of vehicles.
From the Peugeot 508 diesel variant to commercial buses and lorries, MPOB found that even after 300,000km of usage, there was no problem with the vehicles’ injectors, pistons, cylinders, fuel tanks or fuel lines.
JAMA tests done in Japan prove that the Malaysian B10 biodiesel has better flow rate than other biodiesels simply because PME has better lubricating abilities.
Malaysia has more than 30 centres that can produce biodiesel. Currently, the country exports more than 90% of its palm products and MPOB believes switching to using B10 biodiesel will not disrupt the industry.
Cue from the neighbours
Vehicle owners, car manufacturers and logistic companies in Indonesia were more receptive of their government’s move to increase the biofuel content from B10 to B20 (20% biofuel, 80% diesel) when it was introduced early last year.
Indonesia started its biofuel strategy in 2005 and has a goal to see the country use B30 diesel by 2020.
Drs Hudha Wijayanto, business sector head of the bioenergy division in Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, mentioned that since the country’s use of B20, Indonesia has been able to save up to US$1bil (RM4.2bil) from its import of diesel. Like Malaysia, Indonesia is also a net importer of fuel.
The Association of Indonesia Automotive Industries (Gaikindo) pointed out that carmakers have also contributed to the initiative.
According to its secretary Abdul Rochim, car companies chipped in to carry out the testing required to ensure B20 can be used in their vehicles.
“We did up to 40,000km of road testing but Toyota sponsored its own tests that racked up a mileage of 100,000km,” said Rochim earlier this year.
“There are vehicles that cannot use biofuel, but the government has allocated Pertamina Dex zerobiofuel for them.”
Pertamina Dex or Pertadex is a brand of diesel fuel that has zero biofuel content and is priced according to the global fuel price. Indonesia subsidises its B20 diesel, which sees the price go as low as RM1.60 per litre.
When asked whether there were any grouses from car companies, Rochim replied that Indonesians knew benefits would go back to the country.
Test reports from MPOB have shown that B10 diesel results in friendlier emission by vehicles.
If emission-based tax is introduced by the Government, B10 fuel will have a better chance of being accepted by domestic users in Malaysia.
Perhaps it is time for Malaysians to think of the country and environment instead of the profit that corporations will make.