Leonardia backs 'waste to energy' program
BACOLOD CITY -- Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said that his administration is very open to any scheme that will allow the use of waste to generate energy.
This statement was issued by Leonardia after the Sangguniang Panglungsod recently passed a resolution strongly supporting the efforts of the city government to aggressively pursue waste-to-energy or other renewable energy generation project resulting to methane capture or carbon reduction.
Leonardia said that while this project takes a long process or method, they will first focus on the closure and rehabilitation plan for the existing dumpsite and for the establishment of the sanitary landfill.
The Local Chief Executive said that the first phase of the implementation of closure plan was already finished and they are now pursuing the second and the last phase of this project.
Leonardia is very optimistic that the closure plan will be finished sometime in June this year. They are now awaiting for the DENR to conduct an inspection for the existing dumpsite.
As to the waste to energy program, Leonardia said that they will pursue a comprehensive study since this will take a long period.
On the other hand, Sangguniang Panglungsod Member Jocelle Batapa Sigue, main author of Resolution No. 19 Series of 2009, said that the sustainable development benefits of the Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) projects under the Kyoto Protocol included cleaner air and water, better waste management, enhanced forestation, reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels, rural development and employment and poverty alleviation.
"Several national and international firms are offering local government units CDM assistance for free, particularly for the identification and evaluation of possible CDM projects, estimation of potential emission reductions, preparation of the Project Design Document, and endorsement to various international organization for the Certified Emission Reductions (CER) purchase," Batapa Sigue said.
The resolution cited that in many official meetings of the Sangguniang Panglungsod Committee on Energy, several firms have identified Bacolod and Negros Occidental as potential site for renewable energy projects. Batapa-Sigue adheres that the investors and local government officials can now address the issue of cost with the passage of the Renewable Energy Law of 2008, which will provide mechanisms to further harness "green energy sources".