By Myrna M. Velasco
MANILA, Philippines - With local production still a pressing issue in the country’s biofuels program, Eastern Renewable Fuel and Commodities Trading Corporation (ERFC2) is aligning investments of P1.76 billion (roughly $40 million) for 100,000 liters per day bioethanol plant which is targeted on stream in the next three years.
“ERFC2 is confident that it can proceed with the implementation of its 100,000 liters per day bioethanol plant within three years with eager partners willing to provide both technical and financial support,” company Chairman Fernando L. Martinez has noted. The facility will utilize cassava as feedstock.
ERFC2 is an affiliate of Eastern Petroleum Corporation which is also programming capital outlay of P400 million next year for the expansion of its retail portfolio and other allied facilities in the deregulated downstream oil industry.
Martinez said based on initial numbers rolled, the cost of investment for the proposed ethanol facility would be $30 million to $35 million; plus $5.0 million for civil works or a total of $40 million.
The company official added they will continually cultivate cassava varieties which could give better yield, hence, giving more input to every gallon of ethanol production.
He stressed that an intensified propagation of high-yielding varieties of cassava are already being undertaken within the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan; including extension works and training for farmer-partners.
ERFC2 said with the Java brown cassava variety, it attained “breakthrough yield of 50 metric tons per hectare of cassava production” at its 16-hectare pilot farm in Kalinga province.
“After three years, this is the first time that such a yield was attained by the corporation despite the 6 months drought and the recent typhoon Juan that hit the province this year,” Martinez stressed.
The company started its cassava plantation ventures in Saranggani province, but it opted to shift to the northern provinces of Kalinga and Isabela on the Department of Agriculture’s sway.
“The said production breakthrough will allow ERFC2 to reduce the hectarage requirements for its planned cassava-based bioethanol plant by at least 30-percent from the estimated 10,000 to just 7,000 hectares,” the company executive has explained.
He added that the higher-yielding variety of ethanol feedstock will also “boost the income of farmer-partners by as much as 200% or P30,000 per hectare given that the crop can weather both drought and typhoons.”
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