DTI approves establishment of bioenergy service facility

July 20, 2018

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has approved the proposal for the establishment of a Shared Service Facility (SSF) project in MMSU next year.

 

Also known as Bioenergy Innovation - Incubation Hub cum Co-working Space and Product Testing Center, the facility will be under the operation and supervision of the university’s National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center (NBERIC). It is expected to start its operation in the second or third quarter of 2019.

 

The proposed budget is almost P50-million.

 

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis who presented the proposal at the DTI office in Makati City last July 17 said the SSF will serve as a venue for bioenergy innovation and entrepreneurship.

 

In addition to the proposed budget, the university will commit a shared service cost. The budget will be used solely for the purchase of modern machinery and equipment to pave the way for a quality branding of bioenergy-based products that could be produced in a shorter period of time.

 

According to Dr. Agrupis, the first year projection shows a total income of P6.025 million, thus, that in the next five years, the SSF is expected to generate P50.5 million gross sales from products to be produced, create 360 jobs in the countryside, benefit 3,272 micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Ilocos region, and create 25 new product designs for various food stakeholders.

 

 “This proposed incubation hub will provide stimulus and needed machinery for local entrepreneurs working on bioenergy and other bio-based products,” Dr. Agrupis said, hoping that the SSF will not only promote technology expertise, but will also help the SMEs in giving them livelihood through trainings.

 

Dr. Agrupis said that since the SSF will also contain various facilities and equipment needed to increase the production of nipa sap and other bio-based products, the university will work closely with the MSMEs in the Ilocos region so that the production of nipa and other renewable bioenergy sources will be increased.

 

The programmed equipment to be purchased are apparatus for biomass handling, bio-processing, bio-separation, bio-conversion, thermo-chemical, biogas, including the area for fabrication. Once established, the facility can offer services such as laboratory, consultation, training, and incubation business.

 

Anent to this, the target clientele will be assisted to ensure that the quality of their products are conformed with the standard of DTI and MMSU. Technical and scientific experts will also collaborate with local MSMEs to come up with high value and high quality product prototypes that eventually upscale to commercial production.

 

Interested MMSU students and residents of nearby communities who may want to venture into bioenergy production will also be trained on the use of these equipment and assisted in coming up with ideas for possible bioenergy-based products.

 

Aside from being a big support to the country’s bioenergy industry, the SSF is also expected to play an important role in boosting the region’s industry cluster that requires conformity with national standards and food safety such as those involved in food and meat processing, metal works, seaweeds processing, and organic fertilizers, among others.