Asean countries could become net biofuel exporters

05 June 2006 11:42  [Source: ICIS news]

BANGKOK (ICIS news)--Asean countries, although currently net short of bioethanol, could potentially become exporters of the commodity in the long term, an industry consultant said on Monday.

 

Rapidly increasing energy requirements, heavy dependence on imported oil and the potential to grow key agrofuel feedstocks like sugarcane, corn, cassava and sorghum could be the key drivers to turn the Asean region into a large producer and exporter of bioethanol, according to Graham Stowell of UK-based Bronzeoak Group.

 

Speaking at the the Biofuels Markets Asian conference, he said current national programs in Asean biofuels include the mandate in Thailand to convert all gasoline to 10% ethanol (E10) by 2007. The Malaysian government announced the introduction of a national biofuel policy in August 2005, with a biodiesel focus.

 

The Indonesian government intends to support a domestic biofuels industry to contribute 5% of domestic oil consumption. In the Philippines, a bioethanol bill is currently in the senate - it mandates a minimum blending of 5% ethanol in fuel within two years.

 

By Stowell's estimates, if Asean were to have an E5 mandate, the total ethanol requirement would be 2.5bn litres a year.

 

Asean countries have the potential to step up the feedstock production, not just to meet domestic requirements but to meet global demand, he said.

By: Anu Agarwal
+65 6780 4359

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