Senator pushes 'smarter' biofuels research

A lawmaker called on the Aquino administration Thursday to implement a "smarter" research and development that can result in viable biofuels. Senate science committee chairman Edgardo Angara said government must make sure taxpayers' money for developing biofuels will not go to waste. "The only way for us to make sure our future R&D pursuits actually bear fruit is if all stakeholders involved--government, the academe and the private sector--collaborate in a focused and systematic manner," Angara said. He noted the Department of Energy (DOE)'s claims the Arroyo administration wasted P1 billion for its jatropha program. The Philippine National Oil Co. - Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC) had rejected the jatropha-based biofuel not being commercially viable. But Angara pointed out the scrapping of the jatropha-based biofuel should boost efforts to continue finding alternative fuels. "Though negative, these revelations should not hinder our drive to find alternative sources of fuel. If anything, this means we are now better equipped to move forward in a smarter, more purposeful manner," said Angara, who also Chairs the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (COMSTE). Earlier, DOE Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said pilot-testing should have been conducted before rolling out jatropha cultivation in "such a big quantity." Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo added proper scientific protocol in programs involving new technologies dictate that the results of these tests should be thoroughly evaluated to prove viability. On the other hand, Almendras said the PNOC-AFC will still pursue the development of other sources of alternative fuels, such as algae. Angara noted that COMSTE has been pushing for the establishment of the Philippine Institute for Algae Research and Commercialization (PINARC), which will be an innovation cluster--a three-way partnership among government agencies, selected universities and industry leaders--in algal R&D. "For sure, many forms of clustering have been attempted before. But by involving industry leaders in the operations of PINARC, we will ensure that projects actually result in commercially viable applications," he said. Once plenary budget deliberations resume, Angara will push for P20 million in initial funding for PINARC from the 2012 budget. — TJD, GMA News