Thomas hails Pepsi for revenue-generating RE projects in Luzon

MANILA, Philippines - US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas has commended the local Pepsi-Cola unit for creating an additional revenue stream to the agricultural sector by undertaking a renewable energy project in Northern Luzon.

“I am happy to know that more than 700 farmers will benefit from the project by providing feedstock that the biomass plant requires. This means that the farmers will have additional income from selling rice husks that otherwise would have been burned or just thrown away,” Thomas said in a statement.

Thomas visited the North Luzon operations of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) in Rosario, La Union where a biomass-fired cogeneration facility will be built. 

The facility will be capable of producing power and steam and will replace the existing diesel-fed generator set and fuel oil-fired boiler of the PCPPI plant.

It will use rice hull, wood chips and other biomass materials as fuel inputs. The project is being undertaken by PCPPI with local company Solutions for Renewable Energy Inc. (SURE) under a build-operate-and-transfer agreement.

In ensuring the steady supply of biomass materials, SURE will be contracting rice millers and farmers in the nearby towns and provinces of Pangasinan and La Union for the long-term supply of rice hull.

SURE and PCPPI will also start a reforestation program in San Roque, Pangasinan to promote environment entrepreneurship, have a sustainable supply of wood chips, and increase forest cover in the area.

“Clean energy development is the priority of the United States,” Thomas said, adding that investments in clean energy “will not only lead to the reduction in overall energy consumption, but also create jobs and help business develop new technologies that could lead to even greater efficiencies.”

PCPPI is currently implementing Project Power Play, which is focused on the use of renewable sources of energy to generate power, steam and/or carbon dioxide.

The project is expected to significantly reduce the company’s energy costs and address the power shortage in the country.

The softdrink maker’s RE program will also help in reducing pressure on increasing cost of fuel and, at the same time, promote a carbon emission-free business environment.

PCPPI commercial director Gabby Gabinete, for his part, said the vision of Project Power Play is to make PCPPI a major player in the development of a sustainable supply chain platform.

Gabinete said this effort will likewise address the challenges brought about by climate change and resource shortage.

PCPPI, with 11 bottling plants spread across the country, is a major player in the Philippine beverage market producing such world-known brands as Pepsi, Seven Up, Mountain Dew, Mirinda, Mug Root Beer, Gatorade, Tropicana, Propel, Sting, Lipton and Premier bottled water.