Japan's committment to flex-fuel vehicles boost to Philippines biofuel industry
Japan's announcement that it will encourage its vehicle manufacturers to produce more flex-fuel vehicles is expected to boost the development and use of biofuels in the Philippines, a country plagued by industry intrigues and political struggles between oil lobbies, parliamentarians, farmer unions, academia and auto manufacturers, which is delaying the adoption of a clear biofuels policy (earlier post). During bilateral talks at the recently concluded ASEAN-EU Meeting (ASEM), Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi informed Philippine President Macapagal-Arroyo that he wanted to encourage Japanese vehicle manufacturers to go into flex-fuel vehicle production, as Japan looked to expand its own fuel choices (Japan is set to import a massive quantity of ethanol from Brazil). This committment might be the catalyst to get the Philippines' biofuels industry going.
Japanese auto makers supply most of the vehicles in the Philippines. This is why Philippine Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla concludes that Japan's thrust simply pushes efforts to promote the use of biofuels: "Vehicles are an important pillar in the government's biofuels program," Lotilla said. "The inherent limitation on blends that can be used in vehicles will hinder the popularization of biofuels use." If Japanese vehicle manufacturers would produce flex-fuel vehicles that could be sold in the country, this would greatly help push biofuels use, he said.
Flex-fuel vehicles, first developed and used on a massive scale in Brazil, have single tanks, fuel systems and engines. The vehicles are designed to run on both unleaded gasoline and alcohol fuel, usually ethanol, in any mixture:
ethanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: flex-fuel :: Japan :: Philippines ::
American firm Ford Motor Co. created flex-fuel technology in the mid-1980s. Ford, General Motors and Daimler-Chrysler all have flex-fuel vehicles.
Compatible
Japanese vehicle manufacturers favor hybrid vehicles, which run on gasoline and electricity.
The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) has expressed concern over the use of biofuels, claiming that 40 percent of the vehicles in the country are not fit for biofuels.
The group said carbureted vehicles were not compatible with biofuels as their open loop systems could not adjust to changes in the oxygen content of the fuel, resulting in higher emissions.
Campi further said that around two to five million cars currently plying the country's roads have carbureted engines and would not be compatible with biofuels.
But local ethanol and biodiesel proponents, including a vehicle expert, had all refuted these claims. They said that biofuels are compatible with both carbureter and fuel-injection engines.
Japanese auto makers supply most of the vehicles in the Philippines. This is why Philippine Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla concludes that Japan's thrust simply pushes efforts to promote the use of biofuels: "Vehicles are an important pillar in the government's biofuels program," Lotilla said. "The inherent limitation on blends that can be used in vehicles will hinder the popularization of biofuels use." If Japanese vehicle manufacturers would produce flex-fuel vehicles that could be sold in the country, this would greatly help push biofuels use, he said.
Flex-fuel vehicles, first developed and used on a massive scale in Brazil, have single tanks, fuel systems and engines. The vehicles are designed to run on both unleaded gasoline and alcohol fuel, usually ethanol, in any mixture:
ethanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: flex-fuel :: Japan :: Philippines ::
American firm Ford Motor Co. created flex-fuel technology in the mid-1980s. Ford, General Motors and Daimler-Chrysler all have flex-fuel vehicles.
Compatible
Japanese vehicle manufacturers favor hybrid vehicles, which run on gasoline and electricity.
The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) has expressed concern over the use of biofuels, claiming that 40 percent of the vehicles in the country are not fit for biofuels.
The group said carbureted vehicles were not compatible with biofuels as their open loop systems could not adjust to changes in the oxygen content of the fuel, resulting in higher emissions.
Campi further said that around two to five million cars currently plying the country's roads have carbureted engines and would not be compatible with biofuels.
But local ethanol and biodiesel proponents, including a vehicle expert, had all refuted these claims. They said that biofuels are compatible with both carbureter and fuel-injection engines.
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