Energy Resources in the Philippines

• Energy resources are anything that can be used as a source of energy.
• Energy resources in the Philippines are due to geological structures and location.
• The abundance of metal resources is related to geological structures like mountains, trenches, and volcanoes.
• Geological location affects year-round temperature and water availability.
• Renewable energy resources include solar, geothermal, hydrothermal, and wind energy.
• Non-renewable energy resources include natural gas, fossil fuels, and coal.

Solar Energy

• Solar energy is free and inexhaustible.
• It uses solar photovoltaic systems for electricity generation.
• Major solar farms in the Philippines are in Cavite, Pampanga, and Ilocos Norte.
• The Philippines has a solar power plant in Cagayan de Oro and solar photovoltaic cells in Batanes Islands as a charging station.
• The Cadiz Solar Power Plant (CSPC) is the largest solar power plant in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, spanning 176 hectares with 425,000 solar panels.
• The Philippines generates solar-powered energy from 47 solar power plants.
• Solar power was first developed in the Philippines in the 1980s.

Geothermal Energy

• The Philippines is a top producer of geothermal power due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• Geothermal power plants are located in Tiwi in Albay, Banahaw-Makiling in Laguna, Bacman in Sorsogon, Palimpinon in Negros Occidental, Tongonan in Leyte, and Mt. Apo side of Cotabato.
• The first geothermal power plant, a 3-megawatt wellhead unit, started operations in Leyte in July 1977.
• Larger-scale commercial production of geothermal power began in 1979 with a 110-megawatt plant at Tiwi field in Albay province.
• Visayas is known for having the most geothermal power plants in the Philippines.

Operational Geothermal Power Plants

• Bacon Manito Geothermal Power Plant (140 MW) "BACMAN" - 25,000 hectares
• Leyte Geothermal Production Field (since 1997) (700 MW) – 107,625 hectares
• Makiling Banahaw Geothermal Power Plant (1979) (458 MW) - 700 hectares
• Malitbog Geothermal Power Station (232.5 MW)
  • World's largest power plant under one roof

Hydrothermal Energy

• Hydrothermal energy uses water to generate electricity.
• It provides 27% of the total electricity production in the Philippines.
• Used water from hydropower plants flows through irrigation systems.
• Hydrothermal energy is the primary renewable energy source in the Philippines.
• Small hydrothermal power plants are located in Caliraya, Laguna, Magat in Isabela, and Loboc in Bohol.
• Large hydrothermal power plants are in Ambuklao in Benguet, Mt. Province, Agus in Lanao Del Sur, and Agus in Lanao del Norte.

Wind Energy

• Giant wind mills are used to generate electricity in Ilocos Province.
• In Quirino, Ilocos Sur, electricity generated from wind mills runs a motorized sugarcane press.
• Wind mills in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, as high as 50 meters provide 40% of the energy requirements for electricity in the entire province.
• Burgos Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte is the biggest wind farm in the Philippines.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Energy Resources

• Solar Energy Advantages

  • Renewable
  • Reduces electricity bills
  • Low maintenance cost
  • Can generate electricity (photovoltaic) or heat (solar thermal)

• Solar Energy Disadvantages

  • Weather dependent
  • Solar energy storage is expensive
  • Uses a lot of space
  • Can be associated with pollution due to hazardous materials in manufacturing until disposal

• Wind Energy Advantages

  • Clean and environment-friendly fuel source
  • Renewable and sustainable
  • Wind turbines use only a fraction of the land

• Wind Energy Disadvantages

  • Not a constant energy source
  • Generates noise and visual pollution
  • Birds have been killed by flying into spinning turbine blades

• Hydrothermal Energy Advantages

  • Renewable
  • Non-polluting
  • The cycle produces a very small amount of greenhouse gases
  • Promotes guaranteed energy and price stability

• Hydrothermal Energy Disadvantages

  • Can disrupt wildlife habitat
  • The system depends on precipitation levels, which can fluctuate from year to year, causing instability

• Geothermal Energy Advantages

  • No cost fluctuations determined by gas and oil

• Geothermal Energy Disadvantages

  • Geothermal power plants generate small amounts of sulfur dioxide and silica emissions.
  • Reservoirs can also contain traces of toxic heavy metals, including mercury, arsenic, and boron

• Biomass Advantages

  • Burning solid waste reduces the amount of garbage dumped in landfills by 60-90%.
  • Carbon neutral
  • Reduces over-reliance on fossil fuels
  • Less expensive

• Biomass Disadvantages

  • Not as efficient as fossil fuels
  • Requires a large amount of space
  • Not entirely clean; some greenhouse gases are still produced

• Fossil Fuels Advantages

  • Readily available
  • Relatively easy to produce energy from them

• Fossil Fuels Disadvantages

  • Will eventually run out
  • Increasing fuel cost
  • Releases CO2 when burned

Biomass in the Philippines

• The Philippines has large and abundant supplies of biomass resources.
• The most common agricultural wastes are rice hull, bagasse, coconut shell husk, and coconut coir.
• Biomass is derived from living organisms, usually plants and animal material, to produce electricity or heat.
• Biogas is produced from the decomposition of organic matter.
• Production can change nitrogen from the atmosphere to liquid nitrogen, which can be used as fertilizer and to generate electricity.
• Maya Farm in Angono, Rizal, uses methane gas from animal manure to light their farm, operate electric appliances, and meat processing industries.

Natural Gas

• Natural gas is a form of fossil fuel, like coal and crude oil.
• Fossil fuels are formed from plants and animals that lived on Earth millions of years ago and are buried deep.
• Natural gas and oil are extracted from the deep through oil rigs, while coal is extracted through mining.
• The Philippines has coal and natural gas deposits.
• Natural gas deposits are found offshore Palawan.
• Natural gas is considered a cleaner fuel because it produces the least carbon dioxide among all fossil fuels when burned.
• Composed of methane, which is a highly flammable gas.
• Three decades ago, the country imported 90% of oil for electricity production; now, it's reduced to 40%.
• The Malampaya Deepwater Gas-to-Power Project employs deepwater technology to draw natural gas, fuels three gas-fired power plants, and provides 30% of Luzon's power generation requirements.

Coal

• Coal is a black or brownish-black solid rock that can be burned.
• It contains 40% non-combustible components, a source of air pollution when used as fuel.
• The largest coal deposit is located in Semirara Island, Antique.
• Coal mines are also located in Cebu, Zamboanga Sibuguey, Albay, Surigao, and Negros Provinces.
• Coal is the country's dominant energy source with a 50% share in gross power generation as of Dec.2018.
• Renewable Energy Resources (Geothermal, Hydro, Solar, and Wind) have 22% and natural gas has 21%.

Petroleum

• Petroleum is a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons formed over millions of years.
• The oil is black, thick, and filtered into other products before it can be used.

Nuclear Energy

• Produces energy using heat from a nuclear reaction.
• Uranium, intended for fuel, emits radioactive beams that can destroy plant and animal life.
• The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong, Bataan, was built but never became operational.

Nuclear Energy Advantages and Disadvantages

• Nuclear Energy Advantages

  • Readily available
  • Relatively easy to produce energy from them

• Nuclear Energy Disadvantages

  • Radioactivity exposure can affect health, causing skin burn, cancer, and heart disease.
  • Hard to dispose because nuclear waste is also radioactive and cannot be decomposed