The Board of Investments approved the application of Isabela La Suerte Rice Mill Corp. as a renewable energy developer of biomass energy resources under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and the Investment Priorities Plan.
The project received the endorsement of the Energy Department and obtained clearance from the Environmental Management Bureau of the Environment Department.
The P410-million project involves the development, construction and operation of a 5-megawatt biomass power plant in Barangays San Pedro and San Pablo in Aurora, Isabela.
The site is suitable for the construction and operation of a biomass power plant because of the rich supply of feed stock to be used as fuel for the plant.
Commercial operations started in April with 39 personnel. The company is expected to generate electrical power from combustion using rice husk as fuel.
With a boiler efficiency of around 79 percent at full load, around six tons per hour of rice husk is required for the plant. It is expected to produce 35.6 million kilowatt hours to the Luzon grid.
“This project affirms Isabela not only as one of the country’s largest rice producers but also one of the largest provincial hubs for renewable energy. The province is in a position to take advantage of all those rice husks left behind after milling and powering up the province and securing the lifeline of industries within the area,” said Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.
Renewable energy plants such as geothermal, hydro, wind, biomass and solar accounted 34.3 percent of the country’s total installed power capacity as of June 2016, according to the Energy Department.
The Renewable Energy Act aims to accelerate the exploration and development of renewable energy resources, such as biomass, solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and ocean energy sources, including hybrid systems, to achieve energy self-reliance.
With the government at the forefront in promoting and adopting sustainable energy development strategies, the Philippines is expected to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels in the long-term and minimize exposure to price fluctuations in the international markets.