THE biodiesel fuel (BDF) from used cooking oil will be tested on 30 jeepneys in Davao City within three months to check on its efficiency.
Davao City Assistant Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo, during the presentation of the BDF project Friday at the Ma-a composting area, said that the project implementing agencies will conduct emission and fuel efficiency monitoring within September to December this year.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, together with Japan State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nakane Kazuyuki and other representatives of implementing agencies, led the official blessing of the P10-million BDF machine and the ceremonial gas-up of jeepneys on Friday.
The implementing agencies are Biomass Japan Incorporated, Shinozaki Transport and Warehouse Company, Limited, Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the City Government.
Shigeto Mizumo of Biomass Japan Inc. told SunStar Davao that based on their study, Davao City can supply used cooking oil to run the BDF machine.
"As of now, for one year collection we have 250,000 liters, so we produced 1,000 (liters) used cooking oil into 900 liters of biodiesel per day," he said.
Mizumo said that the BDF is way cheaper than the fuel in the market.
"You can produce this BDF half prize of the diesel. This BDF is used by the City Government, garbage trucks," he said.
According to Domingo's presentation, BDF will cost P16 per liter which is half of the existing price of diesel.
Mizumo said that so far, the BDF used in garbage trucks did not have negative results.
"We have already tested city government garbage trucks for a month, I think there is no problem at all for one month," he said.
Mizumo added that they are seeking to expand their collection of used cooking oil after an initial of 75 establishments and three barangays are currently supporting it.
"Here in Davao, there are thousands of establishment and hundreds of barangay, so we need to expand our collection to the whole city and also we are trying to use BDF to the jeepneys for public transportation that is more environment friendly. We need to have some test period for the monitoring," he said.
Mizumo said that hopefully in October 2018, they will officially donate the machine to the City Government, adding that they want to expand the project to the whole country.
Land Transportation Office-Davao director Gomer Dy said that the BDF is a welcome development since it is environmental friendly and can help with their clean air campaign.
"Yearly we ask the vehicles to have emission testing, and we can see that with BDF, no smoke and can contribute to the clean air. Maybe the Department of Transportation may think to exempt the vehicles using BDF from emission testing," he said.
Mayor Duterte-Carpio, in her message, said that the project is a welcome development as it fits the waste-to-energy priority of her administration.
She encouraged Dabawenyos to take active role in protecting the environment through the BDF project.
She also encouraged remaining barangays to recycle used cooking oil.
"Ang tabang ani sa atong consumer nga dako silag ma-save sa gasolina and number two dili na malabay sa atong mga canal ang used cooking oil sa balay and establishment (This can help the consumer to save for fuel, and it can also ease the amount of cooking oil thrown in the canals from the houses and establishments," she siad.
"We call that those who are in the pilot barangays to give the used oil in the collection points. We are now conducting pilot testing so not all barangays are covered," she said.
The mayor said that after the test run, Biomass and Jica will turn over the machines to the City Government; and once the machine will be ready, the City can serve the public through the facility.