Singapore should embrace biofuels

Straits Times Forum 19 May 09;

'Despite inviting foreign investors here to produce biofuels, Singapore itself is not using any.'

MR HENRI J. BARDON: 'It is deplorable that oil majors are looking only at options to introduce lower-octane (less oxygenated) fuel that cause more pollution to save the average user 5 cents per litre.

Singapore needs to quickly embrace biofuels to improve its carbon footprint. Singapore has four refineries and a carbon footprint that is one of the highest in the world. Despite inviting foreign investors here to build plants to produce biofuels, Singapore itself is not using any.

Singapore can mandate that all diesel fuels sold here are biodiesel as such fuel can be produced on Jurong Island. Indonesia and Malaysia already do so. Thailand and the Philippines have mandated ethanol blending for the past two years. At low blends of 5 per cent to 10 per cent, biofuels cut carbon dioxide emissions by the same amount. This would require no changes to pumps or cars as biofuel blends are used in many of the countries where cars Singaporeans drive are made.'

Renewable fuels already available to consumers here
Straits Times Forum 25 May 09;

I REFER to last Tuesday's letter, "Embrace biofuels", by Mr Henri J. Bardon.

Biodiesel is currently available to consumers in Singapore. This is supplied by Alpha Biofuels which has been providing renewable fuels locally for the past three years. Alpha biodiesel is made from waste oil collected from the communities here.

In the past year, many Singaporeans - from the public and the corporate world - have come forward to contribute waste oil for recycling into biodiesel. The South West Community Development Council has even started a waste oil recycling programme among its residents.

Contrary to what Mr Bardon mentioned, diesel vehicles as well as heavy machinery at construction sites here are already using Alpha biodiesel.

Moreover, the tropical climate in Singapore has made the use of high biodiesel blends possible. There are more than 400 vehicles and diesel equipment in Singapore now running on Alpha biodiesel and doing their part in reducing greenhouse gases.

Biodiesel was used exclusively to power the generator providing electricity for the main concert and stalls during Earth Hour at the Esplanade in March.

Though the biofuel plants built by foreign investors are exporting their biofuels overseas, Alpha Biofuels plays its part in the local green energy scene by producing biodiesel from recycled waste cooking oil collected from F&B outlets around Singapore and making the biodiesel available to the public.

This not only helps reduce Singapore's carbon footprint but also minimises concerns of biofuels competing with food crops.

Allan Lim
Chief Executive Officer
Alpha Synovate Pte Ltd
Alpha Biofuels Pte Ltd