Geothermal Engineering was once offered in Bicol University (BU) College of Engineering in Legazpi City, Philippines. Four years after the introduction to students, the course was frozen to upgrade it into a graduate program (Energy Technology) as embodied in BU ComDev Plan. Engr. Medel Aligan (who designed and proposed the diploma course on Energy Technology) foresees this excellent program as another stepping stone for the aspiring masteral degree holders.



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News Update:

Friday, August 24, 2007

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


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