Coco-biodiesel plant to rise in Ilocos Sur

A Japanese firm, through its local partner, is set to finance the construction of a coco-biodiesel processing plant in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines, with an investment of Php3.5 billion (US$73.67 million). Former Ilocos Sur Congressman Salacnib Baterina, president of Bio- Energy Northern Luzon Inc. (BENLINC), said his firm has tied up with Tokyo-based Pacific Bio-Fields Holdings Corp. (PBFHC) for the construction of the plant in September. Baterina said the processing plant will have a production capacity of 24,000 tons of coconut methyl ester (CME) annually. The CME products will be shipped to Japan to augment that country’s great requirement for biodiesel. (August 6, 2009)