PhilRice, MMSU launch nipa bioethanol production facility

PHILRICE Executive Director, Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr. led in the cutting of ribbon during the launching and ceremonial run of the Nipa Bio ethanol Production Facilities at Brgy. Cabaggan in Pamplona, Cagayan last October 7, 2014. (PhilRice)

A picture for posterity with PhilRice Executive Director, Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr. and all the Nipa Bioethanol Project implementers after the cutting of ribbon during the launching and ceremonial test run of the Bio ethanol Production Facilities at Brgy. Cabaggan in Pamplona, Cagayan last October 7, 2014. (PhilRice)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Pamplona, Cagayan—The Philippines now has its first nipa bioethanol production facility after at Barangay Cabaggan in Pamplona, Cagayan.

Recently launched by the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in cooperation with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the local government unit of Pamplona, the facility was established in the farm of Brgy. Cabaggan chairperson Crisanta Leaño.

PhilRice executive director Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco Jr., who is behind the project and popularly known as the “Nipa King”, said it is a “dream-come-true” after his paper on nipa was published in 2011.

Mr. Rasco, a pioneer in nipa research, urged the conduct of studies on nipa, including engines running on bioethanol.

When the study on bioethanol was presented in a symposium, MMSU got the interest to test the facility.

After a period of six months preparation, the project was finally launched on October 7. Mr. Rasco envisions that the same facility will be established in about 100,000 places all over the Philippines and that nipa bioethanol shall be adopted and used by both farmers and fisher folks for their rice and rice-based farming and fishing equipment.”

For her part, project leader Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis narrated how her team dreamed to develop a bioethanol technology that is adaptable at the barangay level.

Meanwhile, Dr. Fiorello B. Abenes, project consultant and US Senior Fulbright fellow explained, “We don’t need rocket science to produce nipa bioethanol.”

Over the years, farmers have been using traditional and old technology of fermentation to produce alcohol. With just a “few modifications” to produce 92 percent nipa bioethanol, a barangay-type bioethanol facility was established. The Abenes team assured they will continue to study further to improve the technology.

During the ceremonial run, the reflux distiller produced at least 95-96 percent bioethanol. Engr. Nathaniel R. Mateo said that at half capacity (100L nipa sap raw material), the facility can produce 7-9 liters of bioethanol within 4.5 hours.  The produced bioethanol was used for the retrofitted water pump during the demonstration led by Engr. Alexis T. Blonio and Engr. Eden C. Gagelonia of PhilRice.

BIOETHANOL production facility (3-4) (PhilRice)

IMPROVED production facility for production of nipa lambanog. (PhilRice)

Local nipa sap processors produce lambanog, a local wine spirit containing 40 percent alcohol at 22-24 percent yield conversion rate. The product has a steady market and commands factory-gate price of Php40/liter commercial grade and Php40/liter pure grade.

Lambanog, though, can be further processed to bioethanol at significantly higher yield conversion rate. With these prospects in mind, Ms. Agrupis and her team improved the design of the existing facilities of the nipa distillers. The modified version produces lambanog with 60 percent alcohol content with 28 percent yield conversion rate.

The Nipa (Nypafruticans Wurmb.), is an indigenous palm species native to the coastlines and estuarine habitats in the Philippines. Aside from its popularity as a material for “bahay kubo” or native thatched hut, it is also a good source of biofuel because of high yield from its sugar-rich sap, which is converted to alcohol upon fermentation.

Mr. Rasco considers the plant as “savior for humanity” as it provides food, clothing, shelter and a local energy source.

According to Mr. Rasco, the nipa plant is as old as the dinosaurs of about 70 million years of age, far older than man, who is merely 200,000 years old and probably, nipa may even outlive man. It is the most viable alternative source of energy, even better than cassava, sugarcane or sorghum.

According to the published paper of Mr. Rasco entitled “Morphological and sap yield variation in Nipa”, alcohol productivity of nipa per hectare is at least 3-4 times of that of sugarcane and cassava, with as much as 26,000 liters per year.  Alcohol production of nipa is a year-round activity, unlike that of sugarcane and cassava. This is aside from the fact that alcohol production from sugarcane and cassava competes with food requirements while nipa is mostly being used as “binarayan” (the Iluko term for nipa vodka) or “barik” (Bicol term for nipa vodka).

TRADITIONAL production facility for production of nipa lambanog. (PhilRice)