Multi-million investments prop up Bani

Multi-million investments prop up Bani

BANI is your average rural municipality in the Philippines — ranked a second-class town with fishing and agriculture as the main livelihood of its more or less 50,000 population living in a land area of 180 square kilometers.

But Bani, located on the western coast of Pangasinan, is aiming to be a cut above the average by becoming a model “green city” by 2020.

As part of that goal, the local government has attracted foreign investments for the development of green energy,

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is bankrolling a P90-million windmill project while a Spanish group is planning a biomass plant, both of which will be pilot initiatives.

The windmill project, expected to produce 500 kilowatts of power, will be tied up with the construction of an ice-making plant and fish ports.

“JICA would like to prove that the ice plant and fish port can be run by electricity generated by the windmills. This is green energy.” Navarro explained.

Meanwhile, the biomass energy project, which is still in the planning stage, will use rice husks and rice stalks to produce energy.

“The rice husks and stalks will be placed in a boiler and be channeled to a generator that can produce five megawatts of electricity,” the mayor said.

When asked why his town is almost always chosen as host for pilot projects, Navarro replied “These funding agencies are looking for local government units that are not tainted with corruption, only good governance.” (PIA-Pangasinan)

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Bani town gears for Green City status by 2020

Bani town gears for Green City status by 2020

By Venus H. Sarmiento
Bani, Pangasinan (14 July) -- This coastal town is known for initiating projects that care for the environment and the Earth as a whole, and the town's chief executive intends to live up to that.

Gearing to be a 'Green City' by 2020, Mayor Marcelo Navarro bared the proposed projects of foreign investors for green energy. A windmill project of Japan and a Biomass project of Spain are now in the works.

"The feasibility study for the windmill project is now finished. Our town was identified as their project area with a P90 million grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. We are now in the third phase of the project which is proficiency," Navarro said.

He explained that a partnership project has four phases or stages. First phase is the Initiation followed by the Compliance phase. Proficiency is the third stage with the last one being the institutionalization phase.

The windmill project, which can produce 500 kilowatts of power, will come along with the ice maker and fish port projects. "JICA would like to prove that the ice plant and fish port can be run by electricity generated by the windmills. This is green energy," Navarro explained.

f the 12-meter windmill project will materialize, it will be the first in the country. Ilocos Norte's famous wind mill is a lot bigger in size with 111 meters. It is hoped that the project will start in January 2011.

Meanwhile, the Biomass project using rice husks and rice stalks to produce energy is in partnership with Spanish financiers.

"The rice husks and stalks will be placed in a boiler and be channeled to a generator that can produce five megawatts of electricity," he said.

When pressed for answer why his town is almost always chosen as host for pilot projects, Navarro has only one answer. "These funding agencies are looking for local government units that are not tainted with corruption, only good governance," Navarro said. (PIA-Pangasinan)
http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p100714.htm&no=23