Vietnam plans to export bio-gasoline to the Philippines

PetroVietnam Central Bio-fuels JSC plans to produce bio-gasoline for export to the Philippines due to bleak market prospects in Vietnam. “The selling price per liter of gasohol E5 (which is gasoline mixed with 5% ethanol) is lower than gasoline A92, about VND100 (US$0.004) per liter, but the domestic demand for the fuel is not much as consumers have just started to use it. Meanwhile, we can produce over 8.33 million liters per month, leading to difficulties in seeking local outlet,” a company executive said. Nguyen Phu Cuong, vice head of the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, explained that Vietnam has been exporting its agricultural products like cassava, which is used in the production of ethanol, as crude products for many years and this has led to low prices. Experts have asked the agriculture industry to begin raising its capacity in processing crude farm products for export, but with higher prices. The government has tasked state-owned Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) to build three ethanol plants which will have a combined capacity of 300 million liters per year. The construction of three ethanol plants is part of the country’s national development plan for bio-fuels covering a 10year period from 2015 to 2025. (January 12, 2012)