Bronzeoak approved for second ethanol plant in Philippines

Bronzeoak Philippines Inc., parent of San Carlos Bioenergy Inc., has received approval from the Department of Agrarian Reform to convert part of a sugarcane field for its second ethanol project. Plans for the project had been held up by a moratorium announced early last year by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, prohibiting rice-producing land to be used for any other purpose, including industrial development, as well as procedural red tape. Now that all regulatory requirements have been met, construction of the 150,000 liters per day (lpd) or 45 million liters per year (lpy) ethanol plant at Barangay Labuagon in Kibawe, South Bukidnon province, is expected to start as soon as investors come on board and financial closure is attained. Construction is forecast to take two years. Bronzeoak is also planning another 75 million lpy sugarcane-to-ethanol plant and a 12 megawatt bagasse-fed cogeneration plant to be located in Capas in Tarlac province. Bronzeoak’s Negros-based San Carlos Bioenergy is the Philippines’ largest ethanol producer with annual capacity of a little over 30 million liters. (March 31/ April 2, 2009)