Philippines’ DOJ backs bill to exempt power plants from biodiesel blending

In the Philippines, the Dept. of Justice has backed a push to exempt natural gas power plants from mandatory biodiesel blending. A bill in each of the two legislative houses seeks to amend the 2006 biofuel law that required the blend in an effort to reduce rolling blackouts during the summer months when the power plants undergo maintenance. During this period, proponents of the bills want the plants to be allowed to operate on pure fossil diesel, a move that would see the Ilijan gas plant produce an additional 160MW of power.