Making science work for the people. Sharing technologies that help others.

The Mariano Marcos State University – National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center (MMSU-NBERIC) trained personnel from the Pangasinan State University (PSU) in Lingayen, Pangasinan to produce alcohol from nipa in order to help the school cope with the adverse effects of COVID-19 crisis. 

In a two-day training held last November 10-11, the PSU personnel learned the technical skills and methods of MMSU’s propriety fermentation and distillation technology to produce 70% ethyl alcohol. 

Engr. Thomas Ubiña, chief of MMSU-NBERIC, said the training particularly taught PSU’s seven researchers on safety issues, operation, and maintenance of the MMSU’s 850-liter Village Scale Reflux Distiller. The research team from PSU is headed by Dr. Larry A. Santos, the school's director for research. 

“Aside from the lecture session, demonstrations on feedstock preparation and actual distillation process demonstration, and alcohol formulation were also done during the training,” he added.

Engr. Nathaniel Ericson Mateo and Dr. Roque Ulep, project leaders of NBERIC, served as lecturers in the training. Mateo discussed fabrication and distillation of multi-feedstock bioethanol production, while Ulep talked about MMSU's fermentation and distillation technology. 

A demonstration on how the product is developed was done by Mr. Jayson Cariaga, science research assistant of the Center. 

The training-workshop for the partner-SUC was conducted after PSU President Dexter Buted expressed interest on exploring the huge potential of nipa palm for the school’s research development. 

PSU is one of the partner universities of MMSU-NBERIC in its renewable energy program, along with the Aklan State University, Cagayan State University, Central Luzon State University, Marinduque State University, and Western Philippines State University. It is also one of the 19 member-agencies of the Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILAARRDEC) where MMSU is the lead agency.

The NBERIC envisions to become the renewable energy hub in the country. It sets the strategic building blocks that utilize agricultural crops that are excellent sources of bioethanol such as nipa, and involves the development and optimal use of the country’s renewable energy resources. 

The NBERIC is one of the flagship research initiatives of MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis who also serves as the program leader. 

Dr. Agrupis said the training is "the fruition of NBERIC's dream to capacitate its partner-SUCs to help us make science work for the people, particularly in the field of bioethanol and renewable energy." – Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. (StratCom)