An overview of biodiesel in Asian countries and the harmonization of quality standards

Recently, biofuels have been actively introduced as transportation fuels in Asian countries. Common drivers to use biofuels are energy security, fuel diversification, and the reduction of greenhouse gases. In addition, some Southeastern Asian countries look forward to utilizing the abundant agricultural resources and providing stability for farmers. However, a compromised quality of biofuels could cause vehicle trouble, which is why the quality standard of the fuels is very important. On the other hand, the quality standard of biofuels differs from country to country and could cause vehicle trouble in some countries and not others. These differing standards may become an obstacle to trade. In this situation, the harmonization of the biodiesel standards in the East Asia Summit (EAS) region has been initiated by the ERIA biodiesel working group, in which members are the specialists from each country. This review summarizes the introduction of biofuels in this region and the recent activities regarding the harmonization of the fuel quality standard. Important background for this review is based on the results of the ERIA biodiesel working group meeting.