Gov't mulls converting jeepneys to LPG

The rising fuel prices caused by the flaring unrest in the Middle East have put Philippine government officials on the edge because of the specter of higher costs of transport and commodities. To cushion the effects of the price increases on ordinary Filipinos, the transport sector has begun to promote alternative fuel sources for public transportation that would make the country less dependent on fossil fuels. According to government officials from the environment and energy departments, the Philippines has to be more aggressive in using greener transportation technologies and alternative fuels to make it less sensitive to the volatility of the crude oil market, which is reaching record high levels due to the recent instability in Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. Demand for oil is also expected to go up because of the recent natural catastrophes in Japan. MOU with jeepney operators The Department of Energy (DoE) and various jeepney operators have signed a memorandum of understanding to encourage jeepneys to switch to auto liquefied petroleum gas or compressed natural gas (CNG) engines from diesel-run machines. By diversifying the country's fuel sources, the country will be less reliant on imported oil and petroleum products, the DoE said. According to the DoE, auto LPG systems turned out to be more cost-efficient, as seen in the examples of taxis. They are also cleaner than diesel or gasoline, the DoE said. “As of March 17, 2011, pump prices for diesel hovered between P40.25/liter to P42.55/liter, and gasoline was priced between P48.50 and P50.30 per liter compared with auto-LPG which was priced only between P27.74 and P30.12 per liter," the DoE said. CNG is priced even lower. There are currently 12,000 auto LPG converted vehicles nationwide. On the other hand, the country’s first foray toward the utilization of CNG was through the Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport (NGVPPT) of the government. Those who signed the March 2011 MoU with the DoE were Liga ng Transportasyon at Operator sa Pilipinas (LTOP), Makati Jeepeney Operators and Drivers Association (MJODA), Public Transport Workers Foundation (PTWF), Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO), Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP), Pasang Masda, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), and United Transport Coalition (1-UTAK). Support from Congress Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Congressional Commission on Science and Technology (COMSTE), expressed support for the eco-jeepney program, saying it complements COMSTE's promotion of alternative fuels for the transport sector. “The Philippines is one of the most oil-dependent countries in Asia. This puts us in a vulnerable position as the country’s demand for energy can only be expected to grow as households, transport and factories multiply," Angara said. Citing COMSTE data, Angara said the Philippines imports 94 percent of all its crude oil needs. The country's oil consumption is expected to rise by 10 percent in the next decade. COMSTE urged the government and private sectors to look into the mainstreaming of alternative fuels such as biofuels and the development of new technology that can produce more efficient, low cost batteries and new electric vehicle design initiatives. "The future is in clean, renewable energy, which is predicted to be one of the biggest industries by 2014. It is a vital step we must take in order to harness and develop the abundant alternative energy resources that our country possesses, to benefit both present and future generations," Angara added. Gov't also eyeing electric tricycles One of the alternative vehicles that the government is currently promoting is the electric tricycles. According to Juan Miguel Cuna, director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, some 30 e-trikes from the Asian Development Bank have been given to areas like Mandaluyong City last year as part of the agency's program to make the country's transport sector more efficient and cleaner. In a statement this week, the ADB said it has completed the Phase One of the E-trikes project, where they donated some 30 e-trikes to various cities. As part of the pilot project, ADB said it will put four charging stations in Mandaluyong City, which will be able to charge the e-trike batteries to 50% capacity in less than 30 minutes. One of the charging stations will use solar energy. The DENR and the ADB said the e-trikes are less noisy than the diesel-run tricycles. They are also cleaner and will lower the country's carbon emissions. 80% of Manila air pollution from cars According to the DENR and the ADB, emissions from the transport sector currently represent 30% of all pollution in the country, and approximately 80% of air pollution in Metro Manila. A significant proportion of vehicle emissions are attributable to inefficient public transport, particularly from tricycles, jeepneys and buses, the ADB said. “Working together, we can give Manila cleaner air, bluer skies, and a more livable environment," said Kunio Senga, Director General of ADB's Southeast Asia Department. "The Philippines is assuming a leading role in Asia in supporting green transportation alternatives, and if e-trikes are followed by new fleets of electric buses and jeepneys, the effect could be transformative." According to the ADB, over 3.5 million motorized tricycles are currently operating in the Philippines, producing more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide and using close to $5 billion of imported fuel each year. Motorized tricycles - which are motorcycles with sidecars - are popularly used as low-cost public transport for short distances. Millions of dollars in fuel savings "Every 20,000 e-trikes that are introduced to Manila's streets will save the Philippines 100,000 liters of foreign fuel imports each day, saving the country about $35 million annually," said ADB's Principal Energy Specialist Sohail Hasnie. "This initiative not only benefits the environment, but it also supports the Philippines' drive to become more energy independent," Hasnie added. The ADB-supported e-trikes are powered by lithium ion batteries, which are similar to the ones used in laptop computers and mobile phones. The batteries can be recharged approximately 2,000 times, in contrast to lead acid batteries used in older e-trike models that need to be replaced every two years. The ADB said the Philippines has the local manufacturing capacity and technical skills base to build and maintain a large e-trike fleet. Once thousands of e-trikes begin to be manufactured, many new jobs could be created, the agency said. — TJD, GMA News