(Notícia em Inglês)
Malaysia said on Monday it would consider cutting a diesel subsidy next year in a bid to make its biofuel industry more attractive after production of the alternative fuel virtually ground to a halt.
Malaysia has aims to become a global leader in biodiesel, but the once-vaunted industry has come to a standstill since March, when the government delayed a move to require oil companies to sell it alongside conventional fuels.
The plan was originally due to take effect in 2007 but will not now come into force until June 2011.
Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) figures show that the production of biodiesel, a mixture of diesel and five percent processed palm oil, dropped 99 percent from 12,640 tonnes in March to just 137 tonnes in July.
Plantations and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok said the government was looking at cutting the subsidy for diesel, which currently costs 1.75 ringgit (0.58 dollars) per litre, to encourage the use of the biofuel.
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Malaysia said on Monday it would consider cutting a diesel subsidy next year in a bid to make its biofuel industry more attractive after production of the alternative fuel virtually ground to a halt.
Malaysia has aims to become a global leader in biodiesel, but the once-vaunted industry has come to a standstill since March, when the government delayed a move to require oil companies to sell it alongside conventional fuels.
The plan was originally due to take effect in 2007 but will not now come into force until June 2011.
Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) figures show that the production of biodiesel, a mixture of diesel and five percent processed palm oil, dropped 99 percent from 12,640 tonnes in March to just 137 tonnes in July.
Plantations and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok said the government was looking at cutting the subsidy for diesel, which currently costs 1.75 ringgit (0.58 dollars) per litre, to encourage the use of the biofuel.
google.com»