Work has begun onthe initial stages of a 35 megawatt biomass power generation facility in Morobe province.
The project is a joint venture between Oil Search and Aligned Energy operating aPNG Beomass.
The facility will burn wood to produce electricity. The company has planted eight hectares of trees inthe Markham valley with actual power production is expected to happen three years from now.
On a trial plantation, several species of trees are being grownPNG Beomass wants to see which will be suitable for power generation when a power plant comes into operation in 3 years.
Whatthey are looking for are trees that are fast growing and will be big enough to be drlied and burned as fuel.
PNG Beogas has been talking with landowners. They have agreed on an arrangement where landowners grow trees ontheir land and are paid for their labor and land use.
Eight hectares of land has been secured. There is already a plantation at Umi inthe Markham Valley.Inthe next six months, anther eight hectares will be planted.
The future power plant is expected to produce up to 35 megawatts of electricity. It is expected to easethe pressures oPNG total power demand which will triple from 500MW to 1500MW in 10 years.
The company is alsothe first to grow its own trees for power generation. With help fromthe forest research institutePNG Beomass is cloningthe best tree species inthe nursery in preparation for power production.
Whilethe agreements withPNG power have not been finalized,there are strong indications fromthe government thaPNG Beomass will be given permission to produce power.
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