Filipino students produce bioethanol from taro plant

A group of students from Philippines-based St Louis University have created alternative fuel derived from the taro plant, locally known as gabi.

According to media reports in The Filipino Times, Joji Tateoka, John Cyril Paco, Gregory Jones Ochoada, John Paul Galong, and Keanu Verzosa received the Business and Idea Development Award 2016 in October 2016 from the Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their biofuel invention dubbed as “Bio-Gab”.

“Bio-Gab” biofuel was produced by extracting the oil from wild taro and fermenting it for several weeks, according to the group. They tested their invention in a spare engine similar to that of jeepneys and found that it is as effective as other petroleum products commonly used in cars.

Wild taro is rich in substances necessary for the creation of bioethanol, which can fuel cars in a cleaner way. The plant can also grow anywhere, can thrive in almost any type of soil, and is highly resistant to floods and drought.

The group is now aiming to have their invention be patented.

Ochoada told Rappler: “At present, the country is using rice, coconut, and corn to create bioethanol. If we use wild gabi, which is an abundant yet inedible crop, we could maximize the use of the said agricultural products. We would also like to promote corporate social responsibility by providing jobs to the community.”

According to Paco, wild gabi is an inedible type of taro, which is hazardous to humans and other animals, they thought of converting it into a useful product.