The first of the country’s biggest lode of jatropha oil to hit loop of clean energy markets may not be from Bohol yet, but local authorities are certain getting into the top seat is not impossible.
With the country’s biggest jatropha curcas nursery here, Capitol chief of staff and spokesperson Antonieto Pernia over the Governor Reports bared that anchoring Bohol’s dream of hitching in the local loop starts with at least a thousand hectares by the end of the month.
Now with about 500 hectares already planted, Pernia was positive the thousand hectares by the end of the year is achievable.
After that, Bohol aims to hit 6,000 hectares next year to complete the 10,000 hectare legacy.
This is before the Governor signs a memorandum of agreement with Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) this Wednesday, to formalize the financing agreement for the ambitious project set as a legacy of the Aumentado leadership.
Gov. Aumentado earlier wanted some 10,000 hectares of Bohol idle lands converted into jatropha plantations and more expansions after his term.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who comes to Bohol on that day would be a witness to the signing of the agreements to be entered into by Bohol through Governor Erico Aumentado and PNOC through Alternative Fuels Corporation (AFC) Romeo P. Tolentino, Capitol said.
The project, Pernia revealed would entail Bohol putting up 10,000 hectares of jatropha plantation while the PNOC apportioning at least P25 million for it.
Succeeding expansion plans would also be available as the contract with PNOC expires after 25 years.
Pernia named the villages of Bayong, Cantaub Sierra Bullones and Biabas Guindulman within the ancestral domains of the Eskaya tribe as the site for the nurseries.
With the market for cleaner energy now becoming more attractive, jatropha as biodiesel alternative solves the issue of food versus fuel concerns, research would show.
Next year, the country’s biggest lode: about 30 million gallons of jatropha oil would be exported by the Philippine unit of Monterey, California-based Abundant Biofuels Corp. (ABC) as quoted from an email by the company’s chairman, Dr. Charles V. Fishel to the Philippine News Agency.
ABC, which offers long-term contracts of up to ten years in multiples of 50,000 barrels sell bio-diesel feedstock to refineries in the US. The company also offers project financing.
Said to be the largest contract for non-food biodiesel, ABC has tied up with a subsidiary called JatrophaBioJet Corporation here.
Since 2007, ABC through JatrophaBioJet Corporation sealed a partnership with the Supreme Council of Datus Alimaong – the Holy Warriors (SCODA), which represents ancestral domain holders in Northern Mindanao.
“In this time of worldwide economic uncertainty, the export revenues will help (boost) the Philippines’ balance of payments,†Fisher was quoted as saying. (PIA)
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