P168-M biomass facility to rise in Iloilo

Construction of a P168-million peso fuel research and production plant in Iloilo will commence Sunday on a 5,000-square meter property in the town of Mina, where two 17.5 megawatt biomass power plants are also rising. The new biomass facility will produce equipment for the conversion of farm wastes to fuel, according to its UK-based project proponent Global Biomass Group. “All of this equipment is being designed to help farmers efficiently gather and transport biomass wastes such as rice and corn straw, coconut, banana, pineapple and other biomass residues," Global Biomass Group CEO David de Montaigne said Tuesday. De Montaigne said the “collection and purchase of these abundant wastes will provide substantial income to the farming community." Through its local subsidiary, Global Biomass will buy the agriculture waste from farmers and consolidators. Global Biomass is also the major foreign investor and builder of Green Power Panay Philippines Inc.’s Mina power plant. — ELR/VS, GMA News