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Eastern Renewables to build Negros ethanol plant


Eastern Renewables and Fuels Corp. wants to build a new ethanol facility in Negros that will produce more than 100,000 liters per day, a company official said. Fernando Martinez, president of Eastern Renewables’ parent firm Eastern Petroleum Corp., said that while the firm is keen on developing a 100,000-liter ethanol plant in Isabela, it is also pushing for a similar effort in the Visayas. "Our ethanol plant in Isabela is still in feed stock development [stage]," Martinez said. "The one in Visayas is sugarcane-based. We're renewing [our] interest in sugarcane or molasses-fed." Martinez said they are eyeing to start producing within the year to cover the needs of the domestic market. He added that since a typical 100,000-liter-per-day plant would need about 10,000 hectares of feedstock plantation, the projects would be good for the local workers. "It's good for the local farmers. It provides stability farm-gate price [for] sugarcane," Martinez claimed. With the 10-percent ethanol blend requirement for all gasoline fuel set to kick in this month, the company would have to produce more ethanol. "With the mandatory coverage, we would now be needing close to 500 million liters (of ethanol) a year, from a low of only 250 million liters," he said. The Energy Department had earlier announced the full implementation of the 10-percent ethanol requirement in August, six months after the National Biofuels Board recommended the blend ratio of 10 percent from 5 percent. "The (six-month) transition will allow all parties to be ready," Energy Undersecretary Layug said. —JMT/VS, GMA News

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