The transport, manufacturing and construction sectors are expected to
soon use 5 percent palm-based cooking oil to power up diesel-engine vehicles,
boilers in factories and heavy machinery at building sites.
This forms two of the five thrusts under the National Biofuel Policy to
promote the use of renewable fuel.
The other three strategies are meant to increase investment to
commercialising biofuel technologies, introduce usage of Envo Diesel locally
for cleaner environment and increase production and export of methyl ester to
boost the country’s RM30 billion annual palm oil exports.
In a feature articles in the Economic Report 2006 / 2007, the Government
is said to be strengthening the National Biofuel Policy which is expected to
accord various investment incentives to encourage production and export of
methyl ester, the scientific name for biodiesel or B100.
Although Malaysia is blessed with natural resources like crude oil and
natural gas, these depleting resources and rising demand has made it necessary
for the Government to turn to renewable fuels.
The rising cost of imported crude oil is burdening the Government with
heavier subsidies as it struggles to keep retail fuel prices at low levels for
public benefit.
Under the Eight Malaysia Plan (2001 –2010), the Government formulated
policies to encourage use of renewable fuels like vegetable oils, biomass,
solar and hydro to substitute depleting fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal.
The article said the Government aims to reduce the country’s dependence
on fossil fuel by 500,000 tonnes per year and its subsidy burden by turning to
palm oil as a renewable fuel.
Research by government agency Malaysia Palm Oil Board showed that
palm-based cooking oil could be mixed with ordinary diesel to fuel up buses,
lorries and fishing boats.
If pure cooking oil were poured into a fuel tank, the engine will
clogged up by the sticky substance in the edible oil called glycerine. However,
if only small portion like 5 to 20 percent of cooking oil is blended with
ordinary diesel, the bus can run along fine without any engine modification.
