DoE to pilot use of waste vegetable oil from Jollibee as alternative fuel

The Department of Energy will lead in piloting the use of four-percent esterified waste vegetable oil from Jollibee Food Corporation as alternative transport fuel.

"We need to raise awareness of the use of vegetable oil to power automobiles," Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said in an interview with reporters.

The department currently has mandated a two-percent coco-methyl ester blend for diesel.

But the pilot project, set up by the DoE together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Seaoil Philippines, EWay-54 Renewable Energy Inc. and USAID Philippines, will let four vehicles use a four-percent biodiesel blend, gradually going up to a six-percent biodiesel blend. The project will determine the blends' impact on engine performance, fuel efficiency and emission reduction.

EWay-54 will esterify the oil from Jollibee, then Seaoil will blend the esterified waste vegetable oil into its diesel product. The pilot project will run for six months.

Jollibee vice president for corporate human resources John Victor Tence said the fast-food giant supports the project, but stressed the need for sustainability in fuel supply for it to succeed and invited other food companies to support the program.

"Whatever we produce will not be sufficient," he said.

Tence also pointed out that collection will be a big issue that food companies will have to deal with to participate in the program. "One of the biggest problems is the collection. How do you get the oil? Even with Jollibee, we had to put up the infra," he said.

Petilla added that the DoE will study the project's effect on the price of diesel before scaling it up. But before that, "The important thing is, will it actually work? We hope they can get it right the first time," he said. — BM, GMA News