KUALA LUMPUR: More than 70 per cent of blending depots in Malaysia are ready to implement B15 biodiesel using existing facilities, following the government’s announcement to gradually increase the biodiesel blend.
Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the government had conducted meetings and site visits to assess the readiness of facilities to implement the B15 biodiesel blend.
"Findings from infrastructure inspections of blending depots by the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities show that more than 70 per cent of blending depots in Malaysia are ready to implement B15 biodiesel using existing facilities.
"Operational adjustments are being developed by blending depots to ensure efficiency and the security of petroleum product supply to consumers,” he said during a daily briefing on the global supply crisis.
Akmal Nasrullah said he, together with Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad, had visited the Klang Valley Distribution Terminal and observed the readiness of a biodiesel processing plant in Pulau Indah, Klang.
"This visit sends an important message that energy issues can no longer be viewed solely from the perspective of current supply.
"They must be addressed within a national framework that links energy security, the strength of the commodities sector, logistics efficiency, supply chain resilience and the country’s economic resilience,” he said.
Akmal Nasrullah said the visit was important as it enabled the government to assess the biodiesel ecosystem comprehensively, including feedstock production, blending capacity, operational efficiency of facilities and supply chain resilience.
Following the decision, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities are currently coordinating with all relevant stakeholders to implement the biodiesel agenda.
On April 14, the government agreed to increase the biodiesel blend from B10 to B15, starting with B12, to safeguard the country’s diesel supply following the crisis in West Asia.
The move aims to reduce over-reliance on imported fossil fuels and external markets, while supporting economic restructuring through an accelerated transition to renewable energy. - Bernama
