Philippine tests conclude that six hybrids of jatropha create biodiesel that meets US, European standards

In the Philippines, tests by the Technological University of the Philippines and Chemrez Technologies have shown that jatropha biodiesel from PNOC Alternative Fuels meets both US and European standards.

Tests have now expanded the pool of jatropha hybrids to six candidates that meet EN 14214 (Europe) and ASTM D6751 (US).

The seeds were provided by PNOC-Alternative Fuels Corporation, the biofuels division of state-owned oil company PNOC. TUP was responsible for oil extraction, while Chemrez performed the esterization process that converts the oil to biodiesel.

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. 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 galls of ethanol and 54 gallons of biodiesel by 2011.

This year, 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.); and Zambo Norte Bioenergy; Philippine National Oil Company-Alternative Fuels Corp., Guidance Management Corp., Fuel, Inc. and Eastern Petroleum.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Malaysian consortium says oil palm genome now mapped; jatropha in progress; new high-yield strains projected

In Malaysia, the Asiatic Centre for Genome Technology and Synthetic Genomics announced the completion of a draft assembly of the oil palm genome, and progress toward sequencing and analyzing the jatro...

Leading Philippine senator says oil companies funding anti-biofuels campaign with divisive food-vs.-fuel message; industry execs say focus on jatropha will assure Philippines can produce food and fuel

In the Philippines, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri Tuesday said that oil companies are financing a campaign suggesting that biofuel production will affect Philippine food production. Zubiri said that oil com...

Philippines successfully tests jatropha biodiesel to European and US standards; biofuel development continues to move quickly

In the Philippines, the Integrated Research and Training Center at the Technological University of the Philippines, working with Chemrez Technologies, announced the successful test of jatropha based b...

Philippine jatropha biodiesel test batches have met US and European standards

In the Philippines, The Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) and Chemrez Technologies announced that test batches of jatropha biodiesel have met the major international standards used in ...

Daimler, Bayer and Archer Daniels Midland to pursue jatropha-based biodiesel in research effort

In Germany, Daimler, Archer Daniels Midland, and Bayer CropScience have announced a project to develop production and quality standards for Jatropha-based biodiesel. Bayer CropScience intends to de...

National Renewable Energy Laboratory says 72 percent of small-producer biodiesel fails to meet ASTM standards; 94 percent of large-producers pass

The National Renewable Energy Lab says that 72 percent of biodiesel from small production plants failed to meet ASTM standards. Teresa Alleman of NREL said that 16 percent of medium-size suppliers met...