Govt sets October date for B10 biodiesel blend
KUCHING: The Government wants to introduce the B10 biodiesel blend by October despite objections from German car makers that the fuel can cause engine damage.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said he was confident the deadline would be met.
He said the Government was still in the consultation stage and was waiting for feedback from stakeholders.
“If we can use the B10 formula, it will mean that one million tonnes of crude palm oil will be consumed domestically,” he said.
He said higher domestic consumption would help stabilise the price of the commodity, which has gone down more than 20% since last year.
Uggah was touring the newly completed RM12mil blending plant at the Independent Oil Terminal in Sejingkat.
A month ago, BMW Group Malaysia said biodiesel with 10% palm oil content could cause severe engine damage in vehicles using the fuel.
“In our tests with B10 biodiesel worldwide, we found technical challenges,” its managing director Alan Harris said in a statement.
He said the fatty acid methyl ester in palm oil could thin motor oil, which would cause higher sludge and reduce lubricity in engine parts.
MercedesBenz Malaysia said its existing cars would run on B10 biodiesel but its future vehicles, built to higher European standards, might not.
The biodiesel blend number refers to the percentage of palm oil added to regular diesel to make the fuel.
For example, B7 is the standard in Peninsular Malaysia and includes 7% palm oil. B10 would have 10%.
Indonesia plans to introduce a B15 biodiesel blend to help its palm oil industry.