PCA tests 100% crude coco biofuel

PCA tests 100% crude coco biofuel

Manila Bulletin
http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS2006010553143.html#
Thu Jan 05,2006

The use of 100 percent crude coconut oil as biofuel can save the Philippines substantial foreign exchange consumption as it can substitute prohibitively-priced imported diesel.

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is now testing crude coconut oil to run initially irrigation equipment and then later on diesel-run vehicles.

"This is not CME (coconut methyl ester). It’s 100 percent filtered crude coconut oil, no more mix with diesel. This is already being used in Micronesian countries and the Marshall Island," said PCA Administrator Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras in an interview.

CME is mixed with diesel at a maximum of only five percent to make the mix technically-feasible. The use of 100 percent filtered crude coconut oil is assumed not to require any retooling in vehicle engines used in the country.

While the Pacific islands have been commercially using the biofuel for reportedly the last two years, the Philippines claims to be a pioneer in the use of crude coconut oil as biofuel back during the World War II. However, it has not sustained its use since importing fossil fuel-based diesel has been cheaper for some time.

But at diesel’s cost of P31 per liter, the development of this biofuel will benefit consumers with cheaper and perhaps even more efficient fuel as copra costs only P10 to P15 per kilo at farmgate.

The biofuel is also seen to improve farmers’ livelihood as farmers would readily have a more affordable fuel for their irrigation and transportation systems while earning additional income from the coconut product.

Once fully developed, the crude coconut oil will prompt the establishment of one-tonner mini oil mills nationwide which can significantly boost economic activity in the provinces. One oil mill will produce 600 liters of coconut fuel daily. Investment required is at about P2 million including the building, facilities, and initial working capital.

"It may be owned by farmers’ cooperative. That will be advantageous for economic activity in all areas of the country that has coconut specially in island provinces where cost of diesel ranges from P35 to P38 per liter," Paras said.

With oil mills all over the country, copra marketing will be easier, copra (coconut meat turned into oil) post harvest loss will be cut due to its immediate processing, and farmers can take advantage of higher margin as they no longer have to sell copra to traders.

Based on initial testing of PCA, the use of 100 percent crude coconut oil on shallow tube wells (STW) may consume more fuel volume compared to diesel as a 2,400 horsepower STW used up 1.61 liters of the biofuel compared to 1.27 liters of 100 percent diesel.

However, PCA scientists observed that biofuelrun STW is running faster, although they have yet to measure with a tacometer the accurate speed advantage of the biofuel over diesel.

Paras said the mini oil mill construction may be financed by the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corp. or by the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Despite the possible technical feasibility of the use of crude coconut oil as fuel in vehicles and water pumps, biofuel can only substitute up to 10 percent of the seven-billion liter yearly diesel consumption of the Philippines because of the country’s limited coconut production.

"Coconut oil will only replace up to 10 percent of our diesel fuel requirement," Paras said.

Nevertheless, PCA has a plan to expand the country’s three to four million hectares of coconut land by an additional 1.3 million hectares up to 2010.