Abundant Biofuels to produce 600 billion gallons of biodiesel

Abundant Biofuels aims to produce 600 billion gallons of biodiesel by 2012. Image sourced from Abundant Biofuels

Chuck Fishel, Abundant Biofuels’ CEO told the publication the Monterey County Herald that the company’s strategy calls for the selling of Jatropha oil in the countries where it is produced.

Not exporting the oil will make production cost-effective and generate work for people in the countries in question.

The Philippines project is the furthest along of Abundant’s efforts. According to a dispatch from the Philippine Information Agency, the Philippine Unit of Abundant will be exporting about 30 million gallons of Jatropha oil.

Through available project financing, multiples of 50,000 barrels of Jathropa oil will be sold as feedstock to biodiesel refineries in the US.

The Abundant Biofuels' Philippine subsidiary entered into a partnership with the Supreme council of Datus Alimaong, the Holy warriors, who represent the ancestral domain holders in Northern Mindanao in 2007. The chairman of the group, Apo Amay Tawahig, has Jathropa plantations in different ancestral domains in Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.

Fishel said Abundant Biofuels is keen on becoming active in the Philippines over the long term with the business plan of refining in the Philippines and supply a significant part of the country's biofuel requirements.

Fishel also noted that Jathropa has emerged as a viable biodiesel alternative due to food versus fuel concerns and the upcoming environmental regulations in the US that would disqualify virgin soybean oil as a biodiesel feedstock.


- Katrice R. Jalbuena

Sources:

¹ http://www.mercurynews.com/greenenergy/ci_12853565
² http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p090717.htm&no=45
³ http://www.abundantbiofuels.com/