By Alena Mae S. Flores
Roxol Bioenergy Inc., the biofuel unit of Roxas Holdings Inc., will produce three million liters of ethanol a month from its facility in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental in the first six months of the year, Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said Thursday.
Marasigan said the additional capacity would increase the country’s annual ethanol production to 70 million liters.
“Roxol has committed to start operations in the first semester with production of 30 to 35 million liters annually,” Marasigan said. An official from Roxol confirmed that the plant would start commercial operations in March.
Roxol signed an agreement with KBK Chem-Engineering Private Ltd. of India last year to build and activate its ethanol plant on a turnkey basis.
It also reached an agreement with World Bank for the purchase of carbon credits from the operation of Roxol Bioenergy’s wastewater treatment facility and methane gas recovery system of the company’s ethanol plant in La Carlota.
“The emission reduction purchase agreement will give Roxol’s income stream a boost of at least $3.2 million in the next four years,” Pedro Roxas, Roxol chairman, said earlier.
The project will prevent the emission of at least 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Part of the revenue for the purchase of the emission reductions of about a dollar per metric ton of carbon dioxide reduced would be used to finance Roxol’s community development projects including health and educational services.
Copyright ©2010 Manila Standard Today
