Ethanol use gets gov't support
Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Rafael Coscolluela said an ethanol highway is underway after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo urged its creation following the proposed interim ethanol project in Negros Occidental.
Coscolluela said the project will help start up the ethanol program in the country that involves the creation of "D" sugar into ethanol in order to provide locally made supply for the entire country. "D" sugar is a surplus and cheap kind of sugar that caters to the world market.
He, however, said the conversion of the "D" sugar to ethanol will cost much. The price is not competitive based on estimates given by the proponent. It will cost P40 per liter. The imported ethanol can actually be brought by P28 pesos liter.
Coscolluela said there is an estimated surplus of 400 metric tons of "D" sugar while there is also a slight decrease in itS price in the domestic market. There is likewise an increase in production but the demand remains stable. There is too much smuggling going on, he lamented.
The so-called ethanol highway stretches from San Carlos up to the north and south of Negros Occidental. Negros Occidental is the major producer of sugarcane in the country. Aside from Negros Occidental, there are five areas eyed in ethanol production. Two are from Mindanao, two in Negros Oriental and one in Luzon.
The ethanol to be produced by those areas will be given to oil companies for mixing and blending with gasoline. This will be used later on by the ethanol highway. Other than sugarcane, the government is also looking for a possibility of opening new areas for production of feedstock for ethanol. They are also considering the use of sweet sorghum, said Coscolluela.