Malaysia targets B30 mandate for heavy vehicles by 2030

Malaysia will target 30pc biodiesel blending (B30) in heavy land vehicles by 2030 when palm oil-gasoil spreads are projected to be economically viable, according to the country's national energy transition roadmap (NETR) released on 29 August.

Putrajaya, the government's administrative centre south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, seeks to do a "comprehensive review" of the biodiesel blending programme to ensure the blending rate is achievable with a B30 mandate by 2030, while aiming to increase biorefinery capacity to 3.5bn litres and biomass and biogas power generation capacity to 1.4GW by 2050, the roadmap document said.

The NETR will focus on two key segments of Malaysia's bioenergy potential — agriculture-based bioenergy and waste-based bioenergy such as used cooking oil (UCO).

Malaysia will explore bamboo as a bioenergy feedstock while also supporting research for agriculture-based bioenergy, while developing third-generation bioenergy from algae.

The world's second largest palm oil producer will also strive to improve acceptance of palm derivatives such as crude palm oil and palm oil mill effluent (Pome) oil. The combined bioenergy generation potential of palm oil related residue is at 2,850 MW, the report said.

The country would target scaling up UCO collection by increasing collection facilities, with state-owned energy firm Petronas already having started a UCO collection pilot at its gasoline stations.

Malaysia is expected to produce 240,000 t/yr of UCO by 2030, according to the roadmap document.

SAF blending mandate

Malaysia will also first seek to establish a 1pc sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blending mandate while obtaining SAF certification from international bodies, with the mandate rising to 47pc by 2050.

Putrajaya has identified hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) as the frontrunner technical pathway for SAF output in the near term, with Petronas signing an agreement with the Malaysia Palm Oil Board on 14 August to study all types of palm wastes for SAF and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) production.

The state-owned refiner's upcoming biorefinery at the Pengerang integrated complex will be able to produce SAF, with completion targeted by 2026.

Malaysia also expects alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) and gasification-integrated Fischer-Tropsch (GFT) technologies to play a big role in long-term SAF production, the roadmap document said.

Neighbouring country Indonesia's state-owned energy firm Pertamina has also begun trialling the utilisation of SAF in its jet engines.

By Ryan Ang