Philippine biodiesel board to address “food vs fuel” issue as biofuels critics slow investment, manufacturing

In the Philippines, the National Biofuels Board says that it expects to release a policy response on the “food vs fuel” debate that has slowed biofuel production development.

Philippine ethanol demand is projected to increase to 48 Mgy by 2011 with the implementation of a national E10 mandate.

The Philippines have a B1 and E5 mandate scheduled to go into effect in 2009, rising to B2 and E10 in 2011. Philippine demand for biofuels is expected to rise to 187 million gallons of ethanol and 54 gallons of biodiesel by 2011.

This year, The Department of Agriculture recently said that as of last August, 38,000 hectares were being developed for biofuels, primarily in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat provinces and Gen. Santos City.

Eight Philippine companies have pledged more than $350 million towards biofuels production investment. The companies include: Bio-Energy NL, Inc.; E-Cane/Pampanga Industrial Park Corp.; Philippine Agricultural Land Development and Mill, Inc (PALM, Inc.); Zambo Norte Bioenergy; Philippine National Oil Company-Alternative Fuels Corp., Guidance Management Corp., Fuel, Inc. and Eastern Petroleum.

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