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Philippines’ ethanol imports to increase: USDA
Philippines’ ethanol imports to increase: USDA
Singapore, 1 July (Argus) — The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects the Philippines' fuel ethanol market and imports to grow in 2025, but the country's biodiesel outlook remains unclear. The Philippines' fuel ethanol consumption is expected to increase from 797mn litres in 2024 to 840mn l this year, rising in tandem with the USDA's gasoline consumption growth forecast of 5pc for 2025. The Philippines has a 10pc ethanol blending mandate for road fuel, tying ethanol demand to gasoline consumption. Car purchases rose by 9pc in 2024, the USDA said, while investments in the country's public transportation system have yet to yield results. Reflecting the forecast increase in road fuel consumption, the USDA is predicting that fuel-grade ethanol imports will rise by 10pc to 450mnl in 2025. The relatively steep growth in imported fuel-grade ethanol is the result of limited ethanol feedstock in the country, it said. The Philippines prioritises the use of domestic ethanol in road fuel blending. Fuel suppliers can only import ethanol at times of domestic shortages. Domestic ethanol is produced from sugarcane and molasses, but a recent decline in available sugarcane land has supported sugarcane and molasses prices, pushing up the cost of ethanol. This has resulted in a slowdown in ethanol production growth because of narrower margins. The USDA expects domestic ethanol production to increase at a relatively low rate of 2pc on the year in 2025 because of the feedstock limitations. Sugarcane- and molasses-based ethanol have one of the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction rates among commonly used first-generation or crop-based ethanol feedstocks such as corn. The Philippines' mandate does not stipulate a definite GHG reduction requirement, leading to imports of predominately US corn-based ethanol, which is the most competitively priced in the market. The affordability of US corn-based ethanol encourages a higher blend of ethanol in road fuel. The Philippines approved a voluntary E20 programme in June 2024 and the USDA expects to see higher uptake of this blend in the coming year. Biodiesel The USDA is forecasting that the Philippines' biodiesel production will hit 360mn l in 2025 should the country remain at B3. But it may increase by 50pc from 2024 to 400mn l this year should the B4 mandate be implemented. The progress of the country's B4 programme remains uncertain after members of the national biofuel board (NBB) agreed on 29 May to pass a resolution to suspend the B4 and B5 implementation in 2025 and 2026 respectively. The board cited the relatively high price of seaborne coconut oil as a reason to recalibrate the programme. The Philippines uses domestic coconut oil in its biodiesel production, but coconut oil prices have more than doubled from $1,100/t in 2024 to around $3,000/t in 2025, resulting in a halt to reconsider market economics. The country's energy department has yet to issue an official advisory on the suspension of the B4 programme, leaving the market in limbo. Sustainable aviation fuel The Philippines has yet to publish a roadmap for its SAF mandate but has formed a SAF committee under the NBB. The country's flag carrier Philippine Airlines announced a 1pc SAF target for 2026. Another local airline, Cebu Pacific, has started using SAF and signed an agreement with Finish SAF producer Neste in 2023. The Philippines has yet to produce SAF but is evaluating the situation and considering the feasibility of different pathways. By Deborah Sun Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
China's Putailai starts trial production of Si anodes
China's Putailai starts trial production of Si anodes
Beijing, 1 July (Argus) — Chinese new material producer Shanghai Putailai New Energy started trial production of its silicon-based anode material plant in Wuhu city in south China's Anhui province on 26 June. The Wuhu-based plant has a total of production capacity of 12,100 t/yr of silicon-based anode materials, including 10,000 t/yr of silicon-carbon anode materials and 2,100 t/yr of silicon oxide anode materials. Construction of the site started in April 2024 and was completed in December 2024. The firm expects output to be launched by the end of August 2025. Putailai sold 35,000t of anode materials in January-March. Its sales in 2025 are expected to exceed its sales of 132,311t in 2024. Putailai expects its production capacity of anode materials to reach 250,000 t/yr in 2025 and 350,000 t/yr in 2026, up from 200,000 t/yr in 2024, on the back of new capacities planned in Anhui, Jiangxi and Sichuan provinces. Putailai terminated its planned 100,000 t/yr plant in the north-central Sweden port city Sundsvall after failing to obtain approval from the Swedish government. Silicon-carbon anode material is a kind of newly developed silicon anode material used in lithium-ion battery, with a theoretical capacity of up to 4,000 mAh/g, compared with 340-470 mAh/g for natural graphite anode materials and 310-360 mAh/g for synthetic anode materials. Shipments of silicon anode material will increase to 81,900t in 2030, up from 5,300t in 2024, in line with the renewed demand from the consumer electronics, unmanned drones and power tools sectors, data from anode material producer C-One show. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Potential railway could support Aus phosphate exports
Potential railway could support Aus phosphate exports
Sydney, 1 July (Argus) — New Zealand-based phosphate company, Chatham Rock Phosphate (CRP), is conducting a feasibility study to build a new railway in Australia's Queensland that could provide an alternative to using the Mount Isa railway operated by Aurizon. The new railway, to be called RailPhos, will connect CRP's proposed Korella North phosphate rock mine to its planned export facility at the port of Karumba. There is no rail connection to the Karumba port currently. Another phosphate project, the 1mn t/yr PhosOne facility , plans to use a slurry pipeline to transport phosphate rock and concentrate to the same port. CRP expects to export phosphate rock to China and Vietnam from its projects in Australia. And RailPhos will enable it to export up to 10mn t/yr of phosphate through a common-use facility at the Karumba port, CRP has said. Phosphate projects in northwestern Queensland have long struggled with transport, specifically issues surrounding the Mount Isa railway . Australian fertilizer and chemicals company Dyno Nobel's (formerly Incitec Pivot) Phosphate Hill mine is currently under strategic review and Centrex's Ardmore mine could potentially be taken over by phosphate company PRL Group. The Mount Isa railway is a significant challenge, both companies said. CRP was not available for comment. By Susannah Cornford Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
India’s May coking coal imports rise 45pc on year
India’s May coking coal imports rise 45pc on year
Singapore, 1 July (Argus) — India's coking coal imports rose year on year in May driven by a jump in shipments from Russia and Indonesia. The country imported 7.32mn t of coking coal in May, up by 45pc from the previous year and by 13pc from April, according to data from e-commerce firm Mjunction. January-May shipments also rose by 12pc to 27.21mn t. Lower shipments from Australia and Canada were more than offset by increases from other suppliers. In particular, Russian shipments more than tripled to 1.90mn t from a year ago. Arrivals from Mozambique and Indonesia also rose by 53pc and 94pc respectively to 517,766t and 504,850t. India's metallurgical coke imports fell by 41pc to 296,848 t in May. Indonesian and Chinese coke arrivals more than halved from the previous year to 120,742t and 32,995t respectively, but were higher compared to April. Meanwhile, shipments from Poland and Columbia rose by 63pc and 29pc respectively to 106,900t and 36,211t from a year ago. Pulverised coal injection (PCI) imports fell 70pc on the year to 534,970t in May, with January-May volumes down 21pc. Both Australian and Russian volumes saw steep declines in the period at 54pc and 26pc respectively. India's crude steel output rose by nearly 10pc on the year to 13.5mn t in May. The Argus premium low-volatile hard coking coal index in May averaged $204.57/t cfr India, down by 22pc from the previous year. By Romil Sethi and Xiuqi Huang India metallurgical coal imports '000s Origin May-25 May-24 ± % Apr-25 ± % Jan-May 2025 Jan-May 2024 ± % Coking coal Australia 2,734 2,748 -1 3,063 -11 12,151 13,500 -10 US 1,290 943 +37 960 +34 4,515 4,191 +8 Canada 164 200 -18 313 -47 642 1,503 -57 Mozambique 518 339 +53 0 n/a 1,430 1,212 +18 Indonesia 505 260 +94 139 +264 1,271 1,118 +14 Russia 1,895 490 +287 1,420 +33 4,548 2,640 +72 Others 213 54 +291 559 -62 2,652 240 +1007 Total 7,319 5,035 +45 6,453 +13 27,210 24,404 +12 Met coke Indonesia 121 266 -55 85 +42 545 843 -35 China 33 101 -67 29 +14 193 413 -53 Poland 107 66 +63 0 n/a 238 316 -25 Colombia 36 28 +29 68 -47 200 87 +129 *Total 297 502 -41 403 -26 1,624 1,859 -13 PCI Australia 25 461 -95 173 -86 1,196 2,618 -54 Russia 477 1,303 -63 465 +3 3,890 5,287 -26 *Total 535 1,764 -70 637 -16 6,231 7,914 -21 Source: Mjunction *Note: Total includes additional small values excluded from individual breakdown, so component numbers may not sum to total Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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