BACOLOR, Pampanga – Mayor Jose Maria Hizon said a global renewable energy company will build a Biomass Gasifier power plant here to be fueled by grass.
He said the P500-million facility is designed to produce four megawatts using napier grass whose stalks will used for power generation with leaves going to feedstock for farm animals.
“This grass has more advantages in terms of profitability compared to sugarcane,” Hizon said.
Samuel West Stewart, managing director of Advanced Energy Technologies, project contractor, said the power plant would be completed in about half a year.
The build-operate-own-transfer project follows the signing of a memorandum of cooperation and understanding between the Department of Energy and the Climate Change Commission to push for a sustained renewable energy program.
“Our continuing goal is to triple our RE capacities by 2030. To date, we remain confident that this aim will be achieved,” Energy Undersecretary Raul Aguilos said, underscoring the crucial role of local government units.
According to Hizon, huge tracts of lands in Bacolor have been found viable for growing napier with about 200 hectares planted to the Thailand “Packchong”, which is suited for gasifier operations.
The fast-growing grass is weather resistant and needs no fertilizer or pesticide, he said.
Hizon said a farmer can harvest the hybrid napier in about three months to allow a steady supply for the power plant.
