Representatives from the U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association recently conducted a strategic mission to Southeast Asia, providing technical support for ethanol policy advancement in Vietnam and the Philippines.
The delegation, including USGC Regional Director Caleb Wurth, Growth Energy Vice President Jake Comer and RFA Director Cassie Mullen, led technical fuel workshops in Ho Chi Minh City and Manila aimed at promoting ethanol's role in clean transportation and energy diversification.
In Vietnam, the group partnered with the Vietnam Petroleum Association to host more than 120 delegates from government ministries, state-owned fuel companies and private sector stakeholders. The workshop focused on retail infrastructure, fuel dispensing technology and supply chain integrity, with presenters demonstrating that higher ethanol blends like E10 are compatible with motorcycles, which dominate Vietnam's transportation system.
The delegation then traveled to Manila for the Philippines E20 Retail Fuel Workshop, hosted with the Philippines Department of Energy. The event drew approximately 100 fuel industry representatives to discuss implementation strategies for the E20 discretionary policy established in 2024, which allows E20 gasoline sales alongside the existing E10 mandate.
Technical presentations highlighted infrastructure compatibility, safety considerations and cost efficiency of E20 fuel in the Philippines market.
"The workshops in Vietnam and the Philippines underscore how targeted technical engagement – tailored to local conditions – builds trust and unlocks policy progress," Wurth said. "These engagements establish long-term partnerships with the U.S. ethanol industry that align with Southeast Asia's clean fuel and energy security ambitions."
