AMID the gradual increase in the blending of alternative fuel sources with traditional petroleum products, independent petroleum company Flying V said Thursday it has partnered with the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) to pilot-test the use of 20-percent coco-methyl ester diesel blend.

At the launching of the Flying V Institute for Advanced Biodiesel Research (FV-IABR), Flying V chief operating officer and FV-IABR president Paul S. Tanjutco said preparations are already under way for the testing of a 20-percent coco-methyl ester diesel blend.

The Flying V official added that the project is envisioned to be a continuation of the study presented by the Philippine Coconut Authority on the one-percent biodiesel blend.  

Upon the conclusion of the tests and product certifications, Tanjutco said Flying V’s Biofuel Centers at Philcoa and TUP-Taguig will test-market the product on a number of vehicle fleets.  

Tanjutco said the project partners include TUP, Filipino Car Foundation and Somida Motors Corp.

Flying V and the project partners are expected to sign a memorandum of cooperation to be witnessed by officials of the Department of Energy (DOE).

Flying V chairman Ramon F. Villavicencio said the FV-IABR indicates Flying V’s strong support for the biofuels law and that it is clearly the intention of the biofuels law to spur the movement for energy independence, by mandating progressively higher blends of biofuels.  

“There is, therefore, a great need for an institution to initiate and/or undertake in cooperation or collaboration with other institutions, for the advanced study, research, and tests of biofuels,” he added.

The FV-IABR shall also establish and maintain a database, a library and testing facilities for the purpose.  

Flying V and TUP jointly announced their plans to put up a Flying V Biofuel Center at the TUP-Taguig Campus, where FV-IABR will put up its headquarters.  

TUP, in partnership with Nihon University, Japan’s largest university, released in 2005 one of the most authoritative and conclusive studies on biodiesel, which was presented at the Japan Society of Automotive Engineers and DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards.

THE Department of Energy (DOE) said Thursday the 2006 Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR) has garnered firm expressions of interest from 20 local and international upstream companies.

SOME 16,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and 126,000 sari-sari store owners benefit from the success of this year’s Puregold Price Club Inc.’s three-day convention now going on at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

AMID the gradual increase in the blending of alternative fuel sources with traditional petroleum products, independent petroleum company Flying V said Thursday it has partnered with the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) to pilot-test the use of 20-percent coco-methyl ester diesel blend.

A KOREAN company is investing $17 million for the development of a residential and hotel complex inside the Subic Bay Freeport, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced Thursday.

MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest power distributor, said it continues discussions with the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) to purchase some of the government-owned P800 million to P900 million worth of subtransmission assets.