Government funding goes into Filipino bioethanol research

The Filipino Department of Energy (DoE) is to collaborate on a new bioethanol research project with Xavier University.

The DoE will commit to fund the university’s study into looking at potential bioethanol production via varieties of cassava taken from the Northern Mindanao region. The exact amount of the funding has not been disclosed.

Cassava is one of the most drought-tolerant food crops and has been studied for biofuels use in other countries over the past few years.

The memorandum of understanding will be signed on 24 October and the Xavier Agricultural Engineering Department will start the preliminary testing of gasoline-ethanol fueled engines.

This project will form part of the Philippines government’s move towards eventually using only locally-sourced bioethanol.