A chunk of Philippine power comes from coal, cheap but dirty

MANILA, Philippines - Most of the electricity that light our houses, run our appliances, and operate our factories are generated by power plants that burn fuels such as coal, crude oil, and diesel. Coal is considered as the Philippines’ largest power source, comprising one-fifth of the country's total energy mix—the total amount of energy produced regardless of its source—according to 2005 data from the Department of Energy (DoE). Despite being considered as the cheapest energy source, coal—also the dirtiest fuel—has reached record prices since China and Indonesia have cut their exports to secure their own supplies. Even Australia, another coal-exporting country, has restricted its shipments thereby boosting the price of coal. With surging prices of coal and oil, alternative forms of energy—previously considered as too expensive to develop—are becoming attractive among producers, users, and investors. These include water, wind, solar, and even organic waste. “The country has a very big renewable energy potential. It’s clean and we can save money because we don't have to import anything unlike in fossil fuel-fired plants," said Jasper Inventor, spokesman of environment group Greenpeace. Renewable energy sources Experts agree that the Philippines, being rich in natural resources, can tap nature’s elements to come up with electricity from alternative and renewable sources. For instance, electricity can be produced by the sheer force of water. Turbines in hydro-electric power plants harness the force of water running either vertically or horizontally. Using the same principle, the force of the wind can also be harnessed to turn turbines inside windmills. At present, the total energy capacity of all wind-powered plants in the Philippines is around 25.5 megawatts, according to Fortunato Sibayan of the DoE's Renewable Energy Division. The energy capacity is the amount of electricity that a power plant could produce at a given time. He said that the biggest of these wind-powered plants could be found in Bangui, Ilocos Norte. Items usually thrown away can also be burned and processed to produce electricity. Called biomass, these domestic or agricultural wastes include wood, garbage, and rice hulls, corn cobs, and crushed sugarcane called bagasse. When burned, these items produce steam from boiling water, which can be used to run a generator. The sun’s energy reaching the Earth can also be trapped inside solar panels. Once converted into heat, solar energy can be used to create steam, which can run a turbine generator. But the technology used to convert solar power into electricity—however clean—comes at a price. Solar power costs range from P20 to P40 per kilowatt hour, discouraging companies such as Meralco from using this costly form of energy. Inflation-proof Inventor and Sibayan agree that in the long run, electricity sourced from renewable sources will at least remain constant over a long period of time, and remain unaffected by inflation. Power plants that rely on coal and oil are primarily affected by the prices of these raw materials, which may rise and fall depending on global inventories and demand. As a result, electricity generated by these facilities increase whenever raw materials used by power plants climb. “How will you explain that to consumers when they complain even at the slightest hike," Sibayan said. According to the energy official, the best thing to do is to grant incentives to power generation companies that utilize renewable sources. He said the high costs of technology used by these companies could be cushioned by awarding them tax incentives. Another crucial issue involves formulating cost-efficient means of generating energy without compromising environmental safety. Fossil fuels, especially coal, emit several hazardous elements into the air when these are burned. For instance, coal, when burned, gives off large amount of carbon dioxide, which largely contributes to climate change. Studies have shown that people living within a 10-kilometer radius from a coal-fired power plant develop neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory problems. This gives the government more reason to harness the Philippines' renewable energy potential. Dependence on imported fossil fuel Labayan said the DoE's program encouraging the use of renewable energy sources has been going well so far, having been able to help minimize the country's dependence on imported fossil fuels. He said the energy produced through local sources and materials have improved, accounting to 57 percent of the total power mix, while the remaining 43 percent of electricity still comes from imported fossil fuels. “Renewable energy is very appropriate for us. We need to develop renewable sources. It is beneficial for everyone. The potential is really huge," Inventor said. Unfortunately, a proposed measure for the development of renewable energy has remained pending in Congress for the past two decades, Inventor said. “There is a lack of political will. The government only needs to lay down foundation and create strong renewable energy policy mechanisms," said Inventor, adding that the Clean, Renewable and Alternative Energy Act of 2006 could provide such mechanisms." - MARK D. MERUEÑAS, GMANews.TV