Diploma Energy Technology

 source: Engr. Medel Aligan

 RATIONALE:

The Bicol University graduates more than a hundred engineering students every year from ithe following course: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering and geothermal engineering. Some of these do no take the board examinations but instead enroll in graduate programs not along their fields of specialization.
Similarly, the PNOC-Energy Development Corporation (PNOC-EDC) and Chevron Phil Holdings Inc. (formerly UNOCAL) and other industries in the province have many employees who are licensed engineers but do not have the time to pursue graduate studies along their fields of specialization except those who were able to pursue Graduate Diploma courses at the Geothermal Institute, University of Auckland, New Zealand or United Nations University, Iceland. Hence, most of them take up graduate programs not related to their specializations such as Master of Arts in Public Administration, Master in Management, Law, etc. ………………… Read more

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GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

DRILLING IT DOWN!

SPEWING IT UP!

News Update:

CALLING FOR GOVERNMENT ON MAXIMIZING ENERGY IN TIWI

by: Lanilane Ocbina 

Tiwi Albay- A large percentage of generated steam from the geothermal wells of Chevron Geothermal Philippines Holdings, Inc is not prioritized by the government according to Arthur Baria, Chevron asset affairs supervisor.

Chevron is an American company that provides energy to National Power Corporation (NPC). The geothermal operations is held in about 1, 800 hectare area, running with 150 MW. According to Baria,  out of this production, only 60MW is used by NPC during off-peak hours though 100% is coped up in peak hours. 

He further said that they had been lobbying to the government that geothermal resources shall be optimized and set as the primary source of energy. Based on geothermal facts, only 8% of the energy all over the country comes from geothermal, 22% from natural gases and 15% from hydrothermal. The remaining 55% comes from fuel, which is very expensive.

Two out of seven geothermal plants in teh country are under American firms. These two are in the Tiwi and the Mak-Ban areas. The geothermal operations in Tiwi is supplying 20% of the power in Luzon grid.

Baria appeals to a report on the shortfall in water supply due to lack of rainfalls. The dry spell in Luzon, according to him, should prompt authorities to immediately focus on other energy resources, especially the geothermal.

Geothermal energy is one big solution to te emerging power crisis in the Philippines according to Baria. This resource is less expensive than coal and bunker fuel, whcih are beign imported. He added that when the geothermal energy was tapped in the country, US$5 Billion is saved in foreign exhachange.

From the DOE website:

              "The development of promising geothermal areas had been temporarily set aside pending technological breakthroughs in handling acidic wells,"

The passage of laws on environment preservation such as the Republic Act 7586 or the "National Integrated Protected Areas System Act," and the empowerment of the cultural minorities like the Republic Act 8371 or the "Indigenous People's Rights Act of 1997" also posed constraints, the website added.

Tiwi geothermal exploration started in 1972 and the Naglagbong in Bacman, Sorsogon was discovered a year after. The operation of Tiwi geothermal plant started in Jan.11, 1979 and produced 289MW.

source:http://www.inquirer.net/specialreports/watercrisis/view.php?db=1&article=20070731-79729

News update:

ARROYO SUPPORTS OPEN POWER ACCESS FOR GEOTHERMAL SITES

by Lanilane Ocbina                        

PGMA has approved the open access of power generation in six geothermal areas as answer to the continUous demand of investors for lower power rates. She told the primary energy  officials that the lowering of electricity should be prioritized.

In the command conference held last monday by the Department o Energy, Sec Peter favila of DTI agreed that the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) needs to cope up with more industrial zones where power generation may be deregulated so that more investors will be attracted to settle in.

Favila implies further that the areas to be put under PEZA may include Mt.Apo in Davao, Tiwi-Albay, Makiling- Banahaw (MakBan), Bago-Negros Occidental, Palinpinon- Negros Or, and TOngonan- Leyte. The power generation in these areas will be dergulated as the distribution will be under the control of the government.

source:http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=83649

environmental impacts

(excerpts from http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/geothermal.html)

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The environmental impact of geothermal energy depends on how it is being used.

• Direct use and heating applications have almost no negative impact on the environment.

• Geothermal power plants do not burn fuel to generate electricity, so their emission levels are very low. They release about 1 to 3 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions of a fossil fuel plant. Geothermal plants use scrubber systems to clean the air of hydrogen sulfide that is naturally found in the steam and hot water. Geothermal plants emit 97 percent less acid rain - causing sulfur compounds than are emitted by fossil fuel plants. After the steam and water from a geothermal reservoir have been used, they are reinjected back into the earth.

• Geothermal features in national parks, such as geysers and fumaroles in Yellowstone National Park, are protected by law, to prevent the land from being disturbed.