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Saturday, May 13, 2006
Shell offers alternative gasoline
"Biofuels is the wave of the future."
Thus said Edgar Chua, manager of Shell Philippines at the launching of Shell's Super Unleaded E10 gasoline on May 12. Indeed he is right. With fuel prices sky-rocketing, much consideration must be given to these biofuels, which are not only environment-friendly but also a renewable source of energy.
The government has previously passed the Clean Air Act; to campaign for healthy and breathable air, and recently launched a Bioethanol Program to promote alternative energy sources and to help reduce the country's dependency on oil imports.
In support of the government's efforts, Pilipinas Shell Corporation was the first to respond. Their answer: The Shell Super Unleaded E10.
The Shell Super Unleaded E10 gasoline is a special mix of unleaded gasoline and ethanol. The blend contains ten percent ethanol which according to the company, would run on most of the newer gasoline engine vehicles, although cannot assure it to run on all gasoline engines.
High concentration of ethanol may damage parts in some engines; cars could not run purely on it so it must be blended with gasoline. Shell's E10 gasoline makes sure that the blended fuel is not only good for the environment but also good for a car's engine. The alcohol component lessens the oxygen requirement of an engine to completely burn the fuel, thus making it much more efficient. And with the lesser amount of harmful chemicals like benzene and sulfur in the mix, it helps reduce harmful air contaminants.
Ethanol or ethyl alcohol is an organic compound widely used in scientific and industrial settings. It is easily manufactured and processed from various plants like corn and sugarcane. Since it is neither difficult nor expensive to calibrate automotive engines to run on ethanol, this proved that it has a great potential as an alternative source of fuel.
Brazil, like the Philippines, depends on oil imports for fuel. But because of Brazil's large sugar crop, ethanol-based fuel is now widely used there.
Biofuels are not new thing. It is widely used in the US, Europe, Australia, and some parts of Asia in a move for cleaner air and lesser consumption of petroleum products. As an alternative source of energy, biofuels prove to be essential at present and in the future.
Traditional fuel of any kind is derived from crude oil, which is drilled out by refineries. The fossil fuels are products of organisms trapped and fossilized for millions of years, making it classified as a non-renewable source of energy. Governments across the world are advocating the shift from non-renewable to renewable sources of energy. This trend is due to various reasons including the very high demand in petroleum products. Environmental issues like pollution and global warming, and crude oil prices ballooning real fast, countries worldwide have initiated the apparent, inevitable, and logical shift to renewable sources of energy.
The use of such petroleum products and fossil fuels releases harmful chemical compounds like carbon monoxide to the atmosphere that causes pollution and other health hazards. Global warming, respiratory diseases, and cancers are just few examples of its harmful effects.
Motorists who load up on the ethanol-blended gasoline could be proud of themselves by helping reduce the harmful pollutants released by vehicles. Although Shell advises that before loading up, customers must check their car manuals to see if what fuels could be used. A constantly updated list of cars that are compatible with the fuel is available at their website (www.shell.com.ph).
Shell is the first of the major oil companies to market ethanol-based fuel in the country and the company would have an ethanol processing plant in Negros Occidental, which is scheduled to be ready by 2007 to supply ethanol locally. Currently, there is no facility here in the Philippines that could produce ethanol on a large scale so ethanol is still being imported.
The Super Unleaded E10 gasoline is available at key locations along Edsa. As of the moment there are four stations that offer the special fuel. The stations are at Edsa-Quezon city, Edsa-Buendia, Pasong Tamo, and Pandacan. (Jonathan M. Mactal-UST intern/Sunnex)
(May 13, 2006 issue)
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