Biofuel feedstock development is in limelight because of its pronounced capability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The move towards renewable energy intensified researches to provide concrete attestations that could be benefited from the effort. This research assessed the GHG reduction potential of biodiesel produced from Jatropha curcas L., relative to that of the conventional petroleum diesel. Computations were based on a standard 30-MLPY biodiesel plant with a co-generation facility, utilizing the byproducts of the process for electricity production. The GHG emissions were standardized and presented as equivalent carbon dioxide emission (CO2e). The boundary set for the analysis was from cradle to grave, considering the life-cycle from the production of the feedstock to the production of biodiesel, and eventually, its end-use. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) resulted to a negative net carbon footprint due to the carbon dioxide sequestration capability of the Jatropha plants. The whole system has a net CO2e footprint equivalent to 1,706,365.26 Mg CO2e a-1. Without considering the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants, LCA of Jatropha biodiesel is still about 25% cleaner than petroleum diesel fuel. With sequestration, the GHG emission reduction can go as high as 548.38%. With the current Philippine biodiesel blending of 2%, if Jatropha methyl ester was used for the blending, this study shows that emission can be cut by 11%. And with increase in the blending, a more positive amount of savings will be achieved, which if at B100, savings could go as high as 581.18%.

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Biofuels production is intended to address shortage on fuel supply. This study assessed the energetics and water inventory of the Philippine bioethanol production from sugarcane, aiming to provide a definitive value from where studies for economic assessment for this system could pick up. A 30-million-liter-per-year (MLPY) processing facility was designed using local field and factory data, from surveys and immersion reports. Assessment showed that sugarcane bioethanol processing facility with co-generation and wastewater treatment units gains a net energy equivalent to 18.62 MJ L-1 of bioethanol produced, with an energy returned on energy invested ratio of 2.75. The net energy realized from the production compensates the energy expended during the construction of the bioethanol plant within about eight months of operation. Water is being used up at a rate of 2,832.22 L per L of ethanol produced or 133.60 L per MJ or 197,826.09 L per Mg of cane processed, accounting the water used for plantation and the factory. The water inventory in the construction level amounts to 952.64 ML. The production of bioethanol from sugarcane is practical, energy-wise, but its water consumption might make the industry unviable in locations where water is scarce.

Two pilot-scale open raceway pond systems were designed and fabricated in the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) for the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck to observe the biomass productivity of the alga in an open condition in the Philippines. One design was an oval track with a middle island, while the other was a multi-stage raceway pond (MSRP) consisted of several sections separated by baffles. The pond designs aimed to accommodate 1,000 L of culture. The nutrient media used was composed of urea, NPK (16-20-0), FeCl3, and Na2EDTA – a locally formulated medium that sustains the growth of the species. Paddlewheel was installed to provide mixing, which was turned on during the daytime, while aeration was continuously supplied through perforated air-distributor PVC pipes installed on the pond floor. Only natural light was utilized, and no lighting was provided during the night. The growth rate was generated by monitoring the biomass concentration in the pond through spectrophotometry at 425 nm, where optical density and biomass concentration relationship was initially established. Using the equation for first-order kinetics and taking the points from the exponential phase, the specific growth rate of Chlorella obtained from the oval raceway pond was computed to be 0.007308 h–1 with doubling time of 94.84 h. The biomass productivity rate was computed to be 308.49 g/m3-d or equivalent to 63.24 g/m2-d. On the other hand, the MSRP obtained a specific growth rate of 0.003389 h–1 with a doubling time of 204.55 h and equivalent biomass productivity of 302.19 g/m3-d or 60.44 g/m2-d. The biomass productivity obtained is comparable, even superior to other commercial open pond cultivation using C. vulgaris.

In response to the worsening crisis on energy security and climate change, the Philippine Biofuels Law (Republic Act 9367) was enacted which mandates the blending of biodiesel to petroleum diesel sold in the country. Primarily, feedstock and pricing concerns led to stagnant growth of the Philippine biodiesel industry. Hence, viability of different potential biodiesel feedstocks such as coconut, oil palm, and soybean (first generation), jatropha and used cooking oil (second generation), and microalgae (third generation) was assessed through extensive research and developments. Among these sources, oil palm is regarded as the best complementary feedstock to coconut due to its high biodiesel productivity of 376 million liters per year. Oil palm biodiesel production in the Philippines was also found to have a low carbon footprint of 1.80 kg CO2e per liter and a GHG reduction potential of 42%, which corresponds to a GHG savings of about 1.05 million metric tons CO2e per year for a 5% blending mandate in 2025. Additionally, a low biodiesel selling price of about Php 33.26 per liter can be achieved from using this feedstock for biodiesel production. Hence, use of a low cost and readily available feedstock coupled with established processing technologies and pricing mechanisms will help boost the biodiesel industry in the Philippines.