Biodiesel B100 Has Potential To Be Strategic Alternative For Nation's Energy Supply
KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- Palm-based B100 biodiesel has the potential to be a strategic alternative in strengthening the country's energy security, especially in the face of global fuel supply uncertainties.
FGV Biotechnologies Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Roziyatulshima Zamil said B100 biodiesel refers to fuel produced entirely from palm oil without any fossil fuel admixtures, unlike existing blends such as B7, B10 or B20.
She said the percentage in the biodiesel blend indicates the mixture rate of biodiesel with conventional diesel, for example B10 refers to 10 per cent biodiesel and 90 per cent regular diesel.
“Biodiesel is produced through the processing of crude palm oil which goes through a chemical process known as transesterification to produce palm methyl ester which meets fuel specifications,” she said as a guest on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme titled Biodiesel B100 Alternative Energy of the Future.
According to her, the development of biodiesel in Malaysia is supported by the National Biofuel Policy introduced since 2006 and the Biofuel Act 2007, with the aim of reducing dependence on imported fuels and stabilising palm oil prices.
She said the government's announcement to increase the biodiesel blend to B15 was a positive step in strengthening the use of local energy resources without involving any additional costs following the crisis in West Asia.
In the context of energy security, Roziyatulshima said the country's palm oil production, which reached about 20 million tonnes per year, was able to support domestic needs without affecting the supply of other sectors.
"Domestic consumption for food, oleochemicals and biodiesel is around four million tonnes per year, while the rest is exported, so there is no issue of supply shortage," she said.
She added that the country's biodiesel production capacity is estimated at 2.65 million tonnes per year, sufficient to support the gradual increase in blends.
On the economic aspect, she said increasing the blend from B10 to B20 has the potential to save up to RM1.64 billion per year in terms of fuel subsidies, in addition to reducing foreign currency outflows.
In the meantime, FGV has conducted a pilot test of the use of B100 using passenger vehicles without any modifications, involving a journey of more than 50,000 kilometres over a period of 15 months.
“The test results show that engine performance remains stable and consistent without any major issues, thus proving the usability of B100 in real conditions,” she said.
From a sustainability perspective, the use of B100 also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 67 per cent, in line with Malaysia's commitment to the climate change agenda and the target of net zero emissions by 2050.
She said the implementation of B100 would likely be implemented in phases to ensure a balance between energy needs and food security, while avoiding disruption to existing supply chains.
“This phased approach is important to enable data collection and comprehensive assessment before expanding to a larger scale,” she said.
-- BERNAMA