Geothermal energy is the ‘green’ option

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Philippines — The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) called the geothermal energy as the “green option” and one of the most environment-friendly methods for power sustainability.

Harnessing a high potential in geothermal energy — particularly Ormoc where geothermal resources abound — in is a clean power solution, not only for electric supply but the environment, the EDC said in a statement.

Leyte geothermal plants, including those found in Barangay Tongonan and Malitbog of this city and other places, are the largest steamfield in the world, the EDC statement said.

It has a contract area of 115,552 hectares with total plant capacity of 701 MW, 87 production wells, 40 reinjection wells and a 73.6-pipeline network.

There are four geothermal plants located at Upper Mahiao, Malitbog, Mahanagdong and Tongonan, the first in the country commissioned in 1983.

EDC said the Tongonan plant was said to be the birthday gift of then president Ferdinand Marcos to his wife, then first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

Bohol media learned these during their on-site visit and observation tour about the impact and importance of renewable energy to environment and generating electricity to light the community.

The ocular tour was made possible through the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), a transmission power provider that is also servicing the province of Bohol.

The province of Bohol is a beneficiary of the geothermal power supply through the NGCP’s powerlines via submarine cable connecting Maasin City, capital of Southern Leyte, to island town of President Carlos P. Garcia to the mainland. It supplies about two-thirds of Bohol’s power requirement.

The Philippines is located within the so-called Circum-Pacific Ring of Fire with 200 active and dormant volcanoes and where the geothermal energy fields are tectonic in origin, EDC said.

The Philippines “has a potential capacity of 4,500 megawatts (MW), one of the largest in the world for now,” it added.

Geothermal steamfields are found in Tiwi, Albay with installed capacity of 330 MW; Makban, Laguna, 426 MW both developed by Chevron Geothermal Holdings; and EDC-managed Leyte (708 MW); Palinpinon, Negros Or. (192.5 MW); Bacman, Sorsogon (130 MW); and Mt. Apo, Davao (106 MW).

EDC generates total of 1,457.8 MW or 23 percent of the total installed renewable energy in the country, including geothermal with 1,109 MW; wind, 150 MW; hydro, 132 MW; and solar, 6.8 MW.

EDC also outlined the value chain and processes and work in exploration, steam resource management, power generation, protection of the environment and community development.

Geothermal energy is defined as “heat that comes from the earth.”

“The generated heat can be used in the form of steam or with water as medium,” EDC said. (FREEMAN)