PNOC-EDC to build biodiesel plant within Dumaguete facility

PNOC-Energy Development Corp., the country's largest producer of geothermal energy, on Friday said it is planning to build a coco-biodiesel plant within its Southern Negros Geothermal Production facility in Dumaguete City. "This year, we will also pilot a CME plant in our Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field to supply the requirements of its vehicle fleet. As a livelihood option, we have discussed with the provincial government of Negros Oriental the possibility of scaling up this biofuel project to benefit Dumaguete City and nearby urban centers," Paul Aquino, PNOC-EDC president, said during a presentation before the League of Corporate Foundation's CSR Expo 2007. Aquino said the company plans to have similar facilities in all its geothermal facilities. “If feasible, the project will be replicated in the other project sites," he said. At present, it has four geothermal production fields: Bacon-Manito (150 MW), Leyte (701 MW), Southern Negros (192 MW) and Mindanao (106 MW). PNOC-EDC is now majority owned by the private sector after it sold more than 50 percent of its shares to the public through an initial public offering in end-December 2006 and another 20 percent last week to institutional investors. Aquino said the company’s Logistics and Administration group is also facilitating the use of CME at the project sites. The company executive said PNOC-EDC is also looking at jatropha as another biodiesel source. "We will assist in the bio-diesel program of the government by embarking on jatropha plantation projects near our two geothermal production fields in Negros Island," he said. - GMANews.TV