The Star: Thursday, June 02, 2011
PUTRAJAYA: Biodiesel is now available in the market.
From this month until October, the supply of the new fuel will be available in stages starting at Putrajaya followed by Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor respectively.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok launched the B5 biodiesel programme at the Petronas station at Precint 9 here on Wednesday.
With this, all five Petronas stations and one Shell station here will be dispensing the fuel.
Dompok fuelling up a BMW X3 xDrive20d with a full tank of B5 biodiesel during its launch in Putrajaya on Wednesday. Also present were representatives from BMW and Petronas.
B5 is a blend of 95% regular petroleum-based diesel and 5% biodiesel which can be used in normal diesel engine vehicles without any modifications. It will be sold at the same price as regular diesel at RM1.80 per litre.
Dompok said that the B5 price mechanism would be regulated and determined by the Finance Ministry.
“The rolling out of the B5 programme will not cause any price changes as the Government will continue providing subsidies to ensure that the B5 will be at the same cost as regular diesel,” he said.
“The production of the B5 is more expensive but the cost is absorbed by the Government,” he added.
Malaysian Palm Oil Board director general Datuk Dr Choo Yuen May said the fuel is more environment-friendly compared to regular diesel.
BMW, a strong diesel advocate, said it supported the government initiative. BMW Group Malaysia currently has an Advanced Diesel variant vehicle here in Malaysia for almost every BMW model introduced in the country.
It said modern diesel engines generate 20% more horsepower, 75% more torque and consume up to 30% less fuel compared to their petrol equivalents. They also produce up to 25% less carbon dioxide (CO2) than their equivalent petrol counterparts.
The next step forward for Malaysia is to go ahead as planned to introduce Euro 4M standard diesel this year, it said.
"Such a move would ultimately be most beneficial to consumers as well as the environment, who would obtain better performance while lowering fuel consumption and emission levels at the same time," it said in a statement.
"This would ultimately ensure the further takeup of green technology that is sustainable for both the nation and the environment in the long-run."
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Here's some videos I compiled related to biodiesel:
Video 1:
Video 2: Top Gear
Video 3: MythBusters... Cooking Oil as Economical Diesel Fuel
Video 4:
Video 5:
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