Harmonizing biodiesel fuel standards in East Asia: Motivations, progress and challenges

This paper discusses the development of and policy towards biodiesel fuel (BDF) in the East Asia Summit (EAS) region (hereafter East Asia), with a focus on activities related to harmonizing BDF standards. To minimize problems with engines arising from the use of BDF, most EAS countries have established national BDF standards. However, these diverse standards cause barriers for BDF trade, and act against the regional interest in maximizing benefits from BDF production and utilization. Therefore, the East Asian policy-makers decided to harmonize BDF standards and a regional benchmark standard has been published. Through a comparative review of existing national standards against the benchmark, it finds that the harmonization is beneficial economically, and feasible technically, but stalled practically due to a lack of political determination. The key message from this paper is a call for political determination in East Asia to implement the harmonization. The findings of this paper may supplement the literature, enhance understanding of the East Asian case, and provide lessons and implications that may be helpful in advancing similar harmonization elsewhere.

► Eleven of the sixteen East Asian countries have national BDF standards which are diverse.
► Diverse standards cause barriers for BDF trade, and act against regional interests.
► East Asia publishes a regional benchmark BDF standard.
► Harmonization of standards is planned, beneficial and feasible, but stalled.
► Political determination to implement the harmonization in East Asia is needed.