Global Biomass to set up $4M R&D facility

Global Biomass Plc Corp. will put up in Iloilo a $4-million research, development and manufacturing facility.

The company said it was “the first of its kind in the world” as it would be dedicated to improving the supply chain for biomass plants.

The Philippine-based Global Biomass is currently in the business of purchasing from farmers and consolidators agricultural wastes such as rice and corn straw, as well as biomass residues of coconut, banana and pineapple.

The wastes are then sold to power generation companies that use them as feedstock for biomass facilities.

With the construction of the facility, the company will be able to conduct its own research, and develop, design and manufacture equipment that will further improve the harvesting, collection, transportation, storage and processing of wastes, said Global Biomass chief executive officer David de Montaigne. Construction of the 5,000-square-meter facility will start on August 7.

Global Biomass now seeks to register its facility under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 to secure various incentives.

According to De Montaigne, Global Biomass selected Mina as the location for its facility due to the “progressive development plan for the municipality, its good governance and strong support [from] the provincial government of Iloilo.”

Mina is also the site of two 17.5-megawatt multifueled biomass power plants that are currently being developed by Global Biomass affiliate Green Power Panay Philippines Inc.