Pepsi-Cola to Build Two Biomass Plants at Philippines

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines has declared its plans to construct two biomass power production facilities in Philippines to reduce the cost of its electric power consumption, contribute for the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and to deal with the problem of power shortage faced by the company.

The two biomass power projects will be located in Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao and Rosario, and La Union in Luzon and will meet its power supply requirements. The company has plans to invest $1.4 million in the La Union biomass facility, which will produce around 1.0 MW of clean power. The company will avail the services of Thermax, an Indian company, as integrator of the system to install it at the site. It has roped in Solutions for Renewable Energy (SURE), a Philippines-based company, to work under build-operate-transfer agreement for the project.

According to Gabby Gabinete, Commercial Director of PCPPI, the biomass plant will release lesser amount of toxic gases when compared to fossil fuel utilizing power plants. The company is currently undertaking technical feasibility studies to reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions from the rice hull fuel proposed for use at the biomass plant. The company may also try to utilize wood chips or other proven biomass fuels for power generation.