Renewable Energy For The Philippines Through Second-Gen Biomass

Renewable Energy For The Philippines Through Second-Gen Biomass

A Filipino scientist is making strides towards using renewable energy to
close the energy gap in the Philippines, where as many as 15 percent of
households do not have electricity.

With a population of more than 100 million scattered across more than 7,100
islands, the Philippines faces the challenge of extending power to everyone,
according to Mr. Elmar Villota, who is a doctoral student in biological
systems engineering from Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities in the
US.

"A simple light bulb could make a world of difference," Villota said.
"Without a sustainable source of electricity, students can't have light or
read comfortably at night. Imagine how much knowledge they would miss."

Villota noted that in the Philippines, historically, citizens are end users
in terms of technology, purchasing it rather than making or innovating it.
Renewable energy, he added, could help address the nation's sustainable
energy concerns and stimulate technological growth.

As part of the Engineering and Research Development for Technology
scholarship program, Villota is studying how to convert second-generation
biomass, such as agricultural waste or woody crops, to biofuels and other
useful products, such as bio-based polymers and chemicals.

Working under WSU Associate Professor Yang Bin, Villota mainly is focused on
enzymatic hydrolysis, a process that uses bacteria and fungi to break down
plant cell walls to sugar, which is turned into fuel.

Villota has written a book chapter on the subject in cooperation with Yang
and Dr. Dai Ziyu, a senior scientist at the Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory in the US. He is also working with Dr. Shen Rongchun, a visiting
scholar from China, on techno-economic assessment regarding methods for
converting lignin-structural polymers in plants-into useful, high-value
products like bioplastics.

Villota said he is hopeful that thousands of fellow Filipinos will benefit
from his work, which could lead to basic electrification and light and even
broader impacts. "Through this experience, I hope to extend students'
learning capabilities, and in turn, extend the potential for them to make a
difference in the world," he said.

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Ref:
http://www.asianscientist.com/2016/10/in-the-lab/elmar-villota-renewable-ene
rgy-philippines/

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com