14 August 2010 in SunStar
Investor to put up 35-MW biomass power plant
GRACE Yeneza, director of Global Green Power PCL Corporation, met with Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. Friday, signifying the firm's intention of putting up a 35-megawatt biomass power plant in Negros.
Marañon said the company presented a more immediate solution to the power problem in the province.
The biomass power plant, which will use agricultural wastes like bagasse, rice hulls, and sugarcane leaves, could be completed in 24 months or two years.
Moreover, it is renewable and environment-friendly.
The company is jointly and equally owned by a British and a Filipino, said Yeneza.
Yeneza said they will start preparing their feasibility studies in the province. They will also look for a potential place where they could put up their facilities.
Right now, Yeneza said they have completed all the requirements to put up a 17.5-MW biomass power plant in the municipality of Mina, Iloilo. The project would cost about $43 million.
The plant the company is proposing to build in Negros would cost higher because the target is 35 megawatts or twice the capacity of the Iloilo plant, she said.
Marañon welcomed the proposal because the province is looking at different options just to solve the power shortage.
Yeneza also said they are hoping that Negrenses would have a positive response on the project, which would be most beneficial to the province because they will be buying fuel internally.
The project will also mitigate climate change as it uses "green" fuel, she said. (Teresa Ellera-Dulla).
