Malaysia prepares to boost palm-biofuel use in wake of EU limits

Publish date: Sat, 25 May 2019, 06:48 PM
MALAYSIA’S national automotive policy is expected to allow for a higher percentage of palm-biodiesel blends over the next few decades, according to International Trade and Industry Minister Darell Leiking.
 
The government plans to include a “B20/B30-ready” specification for vehicles in a review of the policy, Leiking said in a statement on Saturday.
 
Malaysia, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, plans to double its biofuel programme to B20 by 2020, which mandates fuel be blended with 20 per cent palm-biodiesel.
 
“Palm oil is a viable option to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, as it has tremendous potential as a renewable source of energy,” he said.
 
“While there has been opposition against the current practices of planting palm oil recently, it only shows that there is demand and potential for the sector to emerge as an important player to meet the needs of the energy and transportation sectors.”
 
The European Union earlier this week published regulations setting new criteria for the use of palm oil in biofuels. The rules, which will have a certification system and restrict the types of biofuels from palm oil that may be counted toward the EU renewable-energy goals, will come into force on June 10.
 
 - Bloomberg
 
Discussions
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William Wang

In this harsh world of trade and economy, every nation fends out for themself and do not expect others to do you a favour and elevate your poverty in the name of humanity and global environmental issues. Good example, EU will exclude palm oil as bio-diesel. They will not subsidise palm oil for the sake of environmental issues when they are rich enough to bear higher cost to less environmental vegetable oils which can be produced by their own kind. Armed with so called environmentals (they are just economic spies) will find any excuse to discredit you product, to the extend Orang Hutan takes priority over human kind. It is all economics and arm wrestling. Unless they are forced, they would not give a sh*t.
Glad that we have an association named ASEAN but the association is just not cooperating as closely as they should be and as an association we are also not strong enough to take on country even as weak as Korea, economically. We have to associate ourselves with powerful nations which they have distinct advantage in cooperating with ASEAN. This gives thought to either China or USA. Given the history and present rhetoric of USA, most would believe China is a better choice. The west, especially EU needs China market. Believe me, China can even force EU to use Palm oil exclusively as bio-fuel under a world climate change issue.
Are Malaysia and Indonesia heading the wrong direction, playing beggar and pity with EU? These people do not owe us a living, unless they are forced to do the right thing. We should know better after years of colonisation.

2019-05-28 12:19

john doe

"MALAYSIA’S national automotive policy is expected to allow for a higher percentage of palm-biodiesel blends over the next few decades"

I don't think Malaysia even have 5 years time. Domestic consumption must be increased by all means. Malaysia can only rely on India and China for exporting the palm oil as edible oil. Palm oil and crude oil are old commodity and people have other alternatives.

2019-05-28 14:13

William Wang

Mineral crude may be old system of energy usage and is non-recyclable nor environmentally friendly. For years we had been digging out carbon which had been extracted from atmosphere for thousands of years, so lives exist. Palm oil presently is the most environmental friendly solution against mother earth early apocalypto.
Palm oil is still under its infantile usage. It's potential/inert energy preserved from sun and can be conveniently kept for later usage. Using existing technology, I envisage one day, facilities are in place to pipe such oil as fuel to industrial and commercial requirements. Countries that has such cheap commodity will be preferred nations for investment. But then, will the west allow it, given their behaviour now.

2019-05-28 16:35

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