Philippine President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said that the main problem in implementing the biofuels act will be public acceptance. She called on the scientific community for help in convincing the general populace while speaking before the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development.
Article here
Category: Bioethanol, Law
March 19th, 2007 at 2:23 am
I think President Arroyo is approaching this issue incorrectly. The successful use of biofuel has been proven in one of the largest emerging markets, Brazil, for the past 30 years. It would be better to look at biofuel adoption as a problem and responsibility of the biofuel industry and not scientists. There is nothing new scientists will discover about biofuel implementation at this point. It is up to “big-business” to begin creating the infrastructure necessary for biofuel adoption in Philippines. If cars are offered with flex-fuel capability, gas stations begin offering it at the pump, and farms are created to grow biofuel feedstocks without competing with the local food supply, consumers are all of a sudden given the choice.
In the end, consumers cannot impact policy that much as they do not effect the investment decisions made. If it is determined that biofuel distribution can be done profitably in the Philippines, you can be assured investments will follow quickly!
I wrote earlier this week on my alt energy blog, www.energyspin.com , how entrepreneurs will change the face of alternative energy. If the slight opportunity exists, these entrepreneurs will begin making investments and creating more opportunity in the Philippines.