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PNOC-Alternative Fuels signs biofuels agreement


State-owned PNOC-Alternative Fuels Corp. has signed an agreement with Dole Philippines Inc. and Toyota Tsusho Corp. of Japan on possible collaboration and cooperation on biofuels. The cooperation involves research development, commercial development, and supply and marketing of biofuels in the country. PNOC-Alternative Fuels said in a statement Thursday that the memorandum of understanding with Dole and Toyota Tsusho would open a new horizon in the company's jatropha biodiesel project owing to the proven track record of Dole Philippines "in agronomic strategies and practices." Toyota Tsusho, a trading company and a member of the Toyota Group, is one of the largest trading companies in Japan, with a global presence via its subsidiaries and operating divisions that support Toyota Motors' automobile business and those of other members of the group. PNOC-Alternative Fuels is taking the lead in implementing the biodiesel mandate under the Biofuels Law, with a view to exploring, developing, and accelerating the use and commercial prospects of alternative fuels in the Philippines. PNOC-Alternative Fuels identified jatropha curcas, or tuba-tuba, as the most productive and economical feedstock for biofuels production. The company said that the partnership with Toyota Tsusho has the potential to spark the commercial and marketing interests toward biofuels in Southeast Asia. Toyota Tsusho last year explored the possibility of going into jatropha farming with Dole Philippines, one of the largest producers and sellers of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. Toyota Tsusho intends to sell biofuels locally, with the surplus to be exported to China, South Korea, Japan, and parts of Europe. PNOC-Alternative Fuels will put up a 5,000 liter per day processing plant, estimated to cost P10 million, in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, which should start commercial production next year when feedstock is available from the 500-hectare jatropha plantation also in Fort Magsaysay. Last year, PNOC-Alternative Fuels signed an agreement with the Ilog Diversified Multi-Purpose Cooperative and the Katilingban Sang Katawhan Sa Katayoyon Nga Kauswagan Sa Kabankalan Inc. – or 5Ks – to put up a 1,000-hectare jatropha plantation in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental. The deal covers 500 hectares of land under the name of the cooperative, another 500 hectares with 5Ks. PNOC-Alternative Fuels will supply the seedlings and other farm inputs and pay for labor costs during the planting phases of the farms, as well as the technology to set up the plantation and maintenance for 18 months. —VS, GMANews.TV

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