PM Wants Malaysia To Start Producing B20 Biodiesel By 2020

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged Malaysia to follow Indonesia’s footsteps and introduce the B20 biodiesel fuel by 2020 and become the world’s top biodiesel-producing country, according to a report by The Sun.

Speaking at the launch of the B10 biodiesel programme for the transportation sector earlier this week, the Prime Minister noted that Indonesia has surpassed Malaysia as the largest palm oil producer and that it has already introduced B20 biodiesel (a blend of 20% palm methyl ester and 80% petroleum diesel) in 2016 on its transportation sector.

The transportation sector in Malaysia however, is currently still using the B7 biodiesel fuel, with the B10 version to be introduced in phases beginning this month and implemented in full force only in February next year.

“Malaysia’s palm industry should be bold to explore new market and prove to the world that the quality of our palm oil is among the best.

“I hope all quarters will be fully equipped and ready to introduce B20 biodiesel fuel by 2020. This biodiesel programme is vital to our country because our palm trees are our golden crop, and have contributed to our economy for so long,” he said.

“The use of palm biodiesel will impact positively on our palm industry by reducing our palm oil stocks and subsequently stabilise its price,” he said during the launch of the B10 programme which was first announced by Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok last month.

The B10 programme, which would encompass all diesel vehicles, would improve air quality through the reduction of carbon dioxide greenhouse gases emission by 1.6 million tonne each year.

He also said that there is a need to ensure that only diesel vehicles capable of running on B10 fuel be sold in the country in the future, saying this programme should also be taken into consideration in the National Automotive Policy currently being drafted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.