Roxol Bioenergy allowed to reopen Philippines bioethanol plant

Roxol Bioenergy Corp., the bioethanol subsidiary of Roxas Holdings, has been allowed to reopen its bioethanol plant in Negros Occidental, Philippines, following its implementation of measures to mitigate emission of foul odour.

The plant, located at Barangay Nagasi, La Carlota City, was shut down on 9 September, when a cease and desist order (CDO) was filed against Roxol.

Roxas Holdings told the Philippine Stock Exchange that the CDO was lifted on Thursday by the office La Carlota City Mayor Luis Jalandoni III based on the results of the city government unit’s inspection and verification of the mitigating measures that were implemented since the plant closure.

Roxol’s ethanol production for the fiscal year ending September 2015 increased by 26% to 40.522 million litres, with alcohol yield increasing by 7% to 270 litres per tonne of molasses, according to Inquirer.net.

In the last fiscal year, the group accounted for about 60% of the Philippine market but with some new players coming in, this market share is seen to drop.