Sun.Star: Viability of e-jeeps questioned

E-JEEP (Electronic Jeepney) is not financially viable in Filipino market more so in the Bacolod market, said Filipino biologist Nathan Luther and professor Marlo Guanzon. The two reacted on the recent launching of E-jeep in Bacolod City by the Green Renewable Independent Power Producer (GRIPP) and Greenpeace. Guanzon, currently a professor in Political Science at West Negros College, stressed, "Despite series of press releases, no business entity is investing on it (E-jeep). I may be wrong but GRIPP and Greenpeace need to explain clearly the affordability of the said project." "We would like to highlight the fact that the development of E- jeep technology is expensive. We need also to check the City's MOA with GRIPP, Greenpeace and the financier, a Dutch DOEN Foundation, as to the viability of the project," Guanzon added. "Is the City investing in these E-jeeps? It's half a million per unit. Is there a transport operator in Bacolod who can afford to buy these?" asked Guanzon, adding, "What is the extent of financing? A 100-percent from Dutch DOEN Foundation? How will this be re-fueled? Through a biogas factory which I haven't seen one or started one in the Philippines that can re-fuel these E-jeeps? How much will a biogas factory structure and machineries cost? We don't even have training on how to operate one." "So the biogas factory will collect all organic waste matter in the Island? How much is the cost of collecting waste from the residences to the collection station to dump trucks to actual processing?" he also asked. Guanzon said these are the questions that a serious businessman asks. If this cannot be answered, I'm afraid, this is a political or ideological propaganda coming from a group of environmentalists. In the same light, Luther clarified that environmental cleanliness is an urgent need. He is all-out supporting the efforts of GRIPP and Greenpeace, but added, "Remember E-jeep is an imported technology which cannot be done without the participation of car manufacturers. "As an educator myself, we should be clear about this, too. As a technologically backward country, we have to import these E-jeeps and what is its difference to car manufacturers like Toyota, Mitsubishi, or Ford, etc.?" Luther added. E-jeeps are fueled by batteries whose chemicals inside are highly toxic. Unless GRIPP and Greenpeace had developed a non-chemical batteries which I know they do not have such capabilities yet, Luther said, adding, "How do you dispose then a highly toxic battery?" If we build a biogas factory, is there provision for emission control? I've seen how a biogas factory operates in America. It's pollution control mechanism is as expensive as the factory itself. Check google.com," he said. Luther also said that even the biogas technology, still it will take time to develop this in Negros or even in Manila. Biogas is a century old scheme but its technology has never been started yet in our setting, Luther also stressed. He said we need preparations and lots of planning here, otherwise, all these are just for environmental propaganda and let the President cut ribbons to symbolize its public acceptance, said Luther. He also said, "I'm afraid, it won't work this way. We need to understand the science of such projects, rather than hype what has not been experimentally tested and proven to commercially viable." Meanwhile, GRIPP Chair and Greenpeace International Climate Energy Campaigner Athena Ronquillo admitted in an interview last Frieday that these E-jeeps are for presentation purposes at this stage. The presentation was timed with the President's trip to Bacolod Monday and key City Officials tested driving the vehicle. Ronquillo further disclosed that each unit of E-jeep costs P500,000. The unit is being imported from China and that they are yet at the lobby stage of reducing cost of freight and import tariffs, taxes and other levies with President Arroyo. Soon, 50-strong fleet of E-jeeps will be imported funded by DOEN and leased to pilot cities of the country. When asked for quantitative costing, Ronquillo,however, failed to present to the media until press time yesterday. - Sun.Star