By Anna Valmero
QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA— The rising global demand for coco-based biodiesel presents an opportunity for local farmers who will be given an additional 13.8 million coconut seedlings to be planted this year.
A fraction of the planted trees will be utilized for the production of coconut methyl ester (CME) or coco-biodiesel, said Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) deputy director Carlos Carpio.
The coconut planting will be implemented under the National Coconut Productivity Program, which seeks to increase the country's coconut production. Last year, some 3.11 million coconut seedlings were planted under the program.
Coco-biodiesel is a lighter fuel containing no odd-number carbon atom so it is more volatile than diesel. The substance has 11 percent oxygen, which “greatly assists combustion,” Carpio said.
The Department of Energy announced on its website that coco-biodiesel provides for more efficient combustion, increased engine power, longer mileage, and less emission in cars.
There are 12 CME biodiesel producers in the country that are DOE-accredited. Of this, only nine have started commercial production as of 2011.
“The total capacity of nine CME plants of 392.6 million liters exceeds CME demand by 63 percent or 144 million liters in 2011 at two percent blend," Carpio said.
As the country implements the ten-percent biofuel blend, market demand for coco-biodiesel and other biofuels will continue to rise.
Aside from attaining energy security, the development of bioenergy sources like coco biodiesel in the country is expected to create additional 89,000 jobs for Filipinos and to benefit 577,000 farm families.
About 32 percent or 3.4 million hectares of the total agricultural land in the country are planted with coconut, according to a 2009 study of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.
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