The nationwide implementation of B20 biodiesel was supposed to happen in June 2021, which is now. In January this year, the target was pushed forward to early 2022. Now, we’re looking at another delay.
According to plantation industries and commodities minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, reported by Bloomberg, Malaysia expects its B20 biofuel plan to be implemented nationwide by the end of 2022. Compared to the previous “early 2022” target, this would mean a delay of at least another six months.
According to the report, the world’s second-biggest palm oil producer after Indonesia is delaying the B20 programme as it prioritises economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. This matches what was said before.
In January, when the early 2022 target was announced, ministry secretary-general Ravi Muthayah said that the revision to the timeline was to give priority to the government’s post Covid-19 economic recovery plan, which is more crucial. “We have limited resources and must identify priorities,” he told the Bernama then.
“We have implemented the B10 biodiesel for the transportation sector and B7 for the industry since 2019. It’s not right to say Malaysia has delayed the implementation of the biodiesel programme,” he said, in response to criticism that the implementation of the biodiesel programme was perpetually delayed.
“We have implemented the B20 programme in Langkawi and Labuan as well, and next we will proceed to Sarawak and Sabah, once we have upgraded the depots,” the MPIC sec-gen added.
Launched in February 2020, the new fuel – which consists of 20% palm methyl ester and 80% regular diesel – will eventually replace B10 biodiesel at over 3,400 stations nationwide, except in Cameron and Genting Highlands in Pahang and Kundasang in Sabah, where B7 biodiesel will continue to be used.
The move to B20 will also shore up the use of domestic palm oil. It is also expected to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by as much as 3.8 million tonnes a year. More on the B20 biodiesel programme here.
