PIA Press Release
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Foreign and local experts to speak at the 1st Philippine International BioEnergy Conference

QUEZON CITY. Jan. 10, (PIA) -- Experts on bioenergy will speak at the 1st Philippine International BioEnergy Conference (PIBEC) on January 12 to 13 at the Manila Hotel.

The line of presenters include Dr. Kaoru Yamaguchi, a specialist at the Institute of Energy Economics in Japan. He will discuss the life cycle assessment of bioethanol from sugarcane. Currently, the Philippines is importing bioethanol from other countries in order to comply with the Kyoto Protocol that fuel must contain two percent biodiesel and ten percent bioethanol.

Meanwhile, Dr. William D. Dar, the former director of Philippine Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), who is now working for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid-Tropics (ICRISAT), a non-profit organization based in India, will give a talk entitled "Sweet Sorghum: A Complementary Feedstock for Bioethanol”.

Brazil’s Arranjo Produtivo Local do Álcool (APLA) Executive Secretary Flavio Castelar will also give a lecture on the integrated ethanol production. Brazil is presently the best producing country of bioethanol.

Administrator Euclides G. Forbes of Philippine Coconut Authority (PHILCOA), Chairman Jose Maria Zabaleta of San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. and Dir. Zenaida Y. Monsada of Oil Industry and Management Bureau will discuss the “Government Support and Market Situationer and Projections for Biodiesel: Coco Methyl Ester Production”, “Experiences in Operating a Sugarcane-Ethanol Plant: San Carlos Bioenergy Inc.” and “Fuel Quality Specifications for Biodiesel and Bioethanol”, respectively.

DENR Asst. Sec. Marlo D. Mendoza, DAR Usec. Jerry E. Pacturan, Engr. Rex B. Demafelis of UPLB, USAID’s Dr. Roehlano M. Briones and USDA Representative Dr. Catalino Blanche will talk on the second and third biofuels feedstock in response to food securities and land issues.

Also, a representative from Food and Agriculture Organization, Dir. Arnold Elapaño of the Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Mr. Beau Damen of Food and Agriculture Organization and Mr. Albert R. Dalusong of Biomass Alliance of the Philippines will address the current state of biomass in the Philippines.

Topics on the renewable energy will also be discussed by ADB’s Chavet Hussain Mir, Sec. Jose Rene D. Almendras of the Department of Energy, and a representative from World Wide Fund.

This event aims to impart knowledge and to bring in more investments for the bioenergy sector of the country. It also targets to showcase what Philippines has done so far in renewable energy and bioenergy.

Pres. Benigno C. Aquino III, together with the representatives from different government agencies, will attend the opening activities on the first day. Local Government Units (LGUS), representatives from University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB), the farming industry and the academe are also expected to participate. (ASB/AS/PIA-GHQ)