Originally published October 15 2005
Malaysia to see commercially-available biodiesel by 2007
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Biodiesel should be commercially available in Malaysia by 2007, and Business Times reports that Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui says gas station operators may be required to sell biodiesel, regardless of whether they are favorable to the idea or not.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui, however, said commercialisation of the fuel will be carried out in stages, where it would most probably start with the transportation sector.
In line with this, he said petrol station operators may be required to sell biodiesel to consumers via its outlets nationwide, regardless of whether these firms are favourable to the idea or otherwise.
"When the Cabinet makes a decision, the petrol companies will have to follow," he told a press conference at this ministry in Putrajaya, yesterday.
Malaysia, along with other countries such as in the European Union, is seeking other alternative sources of renewable energy to counter the spiralling cost of crude oil.
These include the use of vegetable oils as well as solar, wind, hydro, biomass and others, aimed at reducing dependency on depleting fossil fuels as well as to alleviate global warming.
In addition to coming up with regulations and infrastructure required by the biofuel industry, he said the draft will also entail various incentives to encourage consumers to switch to using biofuel.
The Government has been working on the draft for several months, which will then be drafted into the Biodiesel Bill by the Attorney General's Chambers.
The Bill will then be presented before the October Parliament session and will be enacted by the lawmakers by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Malaysia could be close to clinching its first overseas biofuel customer following favourable response from German-based train operator Prignitzer Eisenbahn (PE) Arriva.
Chin said Arriva, which had earlier purchased 50 tonnes of Malaysia's biofuel, was satisfied with the trial run conducted earlier this month and has placed an order for another 100 tonnes of the fuel.
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