Malaysia expands use of palm biodiesel

Malaysia is increasing the percentage of biodiesel blend used in ground vehicles at its main international airport in a bid to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Plantations and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani announced that the country will switch from the current B10 biodiesel blend, which contains 10% palm oil-based biodiesel, to B20 for airport ground vehicles. While Malaysia is enforcing the B10 mandate nationwide, the higher B20 blend is already in place in some regions, BioFuels reports.

“If this pilot project is successful, we will expand it to other sectors,” Johari said, noting that it is part of Malaysia’s long-term commitment to achieving its net-zero emissions target, although he did not specify a timeline for the project’s rollout.

Malaysian Palm Oil Council Chairman Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha added that similar biodiesel trials are being conducted at key ports including North Port Klang, Tanjung Pelepas, Johor Port and Kuching Port.

According to Helmy, palm biodiesel not only reduces dependence on fossil fuels, but also improves the lot of smallholder farmers and local communities involved in the palm oil sector. “This shows that sustainable development and economic growth can progress together, benefiting both people and the environment,” he said at the launch ceremony.

In comparison, Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, has implemented the B40 mandate and is exploring a potential move to B50. The increase in the blending mandate will increase Indonesia’s industrial palm oil consumption by about 1 million tonnes year-on-year to a record 14.5 million tonnes in 2024/25, reducing the volume of palm oil available for export.

Tags: Malaysia, palm oil