Asian Alcohol Corp., a company controlled by tycoon Lucio Tan, plans to build a wind project in Negros Occidental province.
Gerry Tee, overall in-charge of the Lucio Tan Group distillery operations, told reporters the wind project was still being studied.
“The Asian Alcohol wind farm is still being studied. So nothing concrete there yet. It’s just something that we can embark on if the conditions are ripe. Any RE [renewable energy] project can be considered,” he said.
The Lucio Tan Group has been pursuing renewable energy projects such as bioethanol, solar and biomass.
“We will have Asian Alcohol operating from January and February. It’s part of LT group. We will check what we can do, may be wind farm,” Tee said.
The distillery is embarking on rehabilitation program.
Tee said Asian Alcohol’s site had strong wind speed which could be ideal for a wind project.
“Wind speed is very encouraging. We have yet to check the area [to determine capacity],” he said.
Asian Alcohol in Negros Occidental is the second biggest distillery in the Philippines.
Its distillation process uses molasses, yeast, water and other ingredients. The company has a 10-hectare plant in Negros, which is the center of the country’s sugar industry.
The plant has the capacity to convert distillery waste into biogas energy for its power requirements.
It has a daily rated capacity of 210,000 liters of quality ethyl alcohol. It sells 100 percent of the output to Tanduay Distillers, which owns a controlling stake in the company.
This output comprises 70 percent of Tanduay Distillers ethyl alcohol requirements.
Asian Alcohol has a methane gas capture system that enables it to use the methane generated from distillation to power its boilers.