11/01/2012 (The Online Zamboanga Times) - The government is scheduled to present this week two bioenergy models that prospective investors can look into, optimistic such move can help encourage more inflow of capital for similar projects nationwide.

"Such models will be launched during the first international conference on bioenergy," Philippine Agriculture Development and Commercial Corporation (PADCC) planning and policy officer Judith Ann Mae Luna said during the State-run DZRB's 'Talking Points' radio program on Tuesday.

She declined to disclose details about the models but said these are located in Northern Luzon and the Visayas.

"Those models can be replicated," she also said.

Luna noted the Philippines is a potential investment hub for bioenergy as authorities earlier identified some 600,000 hectares of idle and marginal land nationwide as being available for the purpose.

Such area is part of the country's two million hectares of agri-business land the government previously identified, she said.

The government continues encouraging more bioenergy investments nationwide to help increase availability of locally generated resources for biofuels and renewable energy (RE).

The Philippines continues promoting biofuels and RE to reduce oil import dependence, climate change impact and rural poverty.

Earlier, Luna raised urgency for bioenergy investments and reported local bioethanol production at present covers only 39 million liters of the 400 million liters that the domestic market demands.

"Department of Energy (DOE) 2030 RE projection is 15,000 million megawatts - bioenergy's share in this is about 276 megawatts."

Department of Agriculture-PADCC and DOE are proponents of the conference that will run from January 12 to 13 at the Manila Hotel.

Luna said the conference will present the latest available information on bioenergy and Philippine initiatives for promoting this.

"The event will also feature business matching for prospective investors and their potential partners consisting of local government units and Philippine farmers' groups," she said.

The Philippines' National Biofuels Board (NBB) will help facilitate such matching through its one-stop facility, she noted.

PADCC is a member of NBB's technical working group and is in charge of implementing the agriculture department's Biofuel Feedstock Program.

Such program aims to ensure availability of locally produced biofuel crops by promoting and facilitating investments in the Philippine biofuel and biomass industry.

The country's two main biofuels are bioethanol and biodiesel.

Local crops for bioethanol include sugarcane, cassava and sweet sorghum, Luna noted.

Coconut oil and palm oil are local raw materials for biodiesel.

Authorities earlier identified jatropha as another potential raw material for biodiesel.

However, Luna clarified that research and development (R&D) activities on jatropha are still in progress.

"Government's stand at present is jatropha is in the R&D stage," she said.

Luna said topics during the conference will include laws and guidelines for bioenergy investors, renewable energy projects and local feedstock for biofuels.

"The conference is part of government's information campaign for Republic Acts 9367 (Biofuels Act of 2006) and 9513 (RE Act of 2008)," she noted.

RA 9367 requires that all liquid fuel for motors and engines sold nationwide must contain locally sourced biofuel components.

Such requirement includes the minimum 10 percent blend of bioethanol by volume into all gasoline fuel distributed and sold by each oil company in the country.

RA 9513 promotes development of RE resources like biomass, solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and ocean energy sources to help reduce the Philippines' dependence on fossil fuel. (PNA)