Korea Biodiesel Plan Has Its Skeptics

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) had signed contracts with oil refineries in March to commercialize biodiesel in the domestic market, following its plan to fill five percent of the supplied primary energy (petroleum, coal and natural gas) with the renewable alternative energy by 2011.

In line with this, the oil refineries will start selling the mixture fuel BD5, a gasoline mixed with 0.5 percent of biodiesel that the refineries bought from small and medium corporations. The term is set to last for two years.

Biodiesel easily freezes in the winter and eats into engine parts because it is a vegetable oil. Car manufacturers say they cannot take responsibility if the cars suffer problems due to the use of biodiesel.
Dong-A Ilbo