Coal Power Plant in the Philippines

Introduction:

For the past century, electricity has been one of the most valuable, versatile, and most easily
controlled forms of energy. It fuels our daily activities and simplifies convoluted tasks as it supports
machinery and appliances.

Power generation is the process of generating electrical power from other sources of primary energy
(Mansoor-Ul-Hassan, 2014). The first recorded power station appears to have been in the Bavarian
town of Ettal in 1878, which used a steam engine to drive 24 dynamos (a generator that produced
direct current), with the electricity used to provide lighting for a grotto in some gardens. Furthermore,
the 21st century brought an invasion of new electricity sources, with an emphasis on renewables.

The World Coal Association defines coal as a combustible, sedimentary organic rock that is
composed of mainly carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Coal is used in various industries like steel and
cement production, but it is most largely used in the power sector - around a third of all the energy
consumed worldwide. The coal-fired power generation plant turn water into steam and steam drives
turbine generators to generate electricity. Coal is an excellent power generation fuel for ASEAN
countries in terms of both cost and energy security especially Philippines.

Electricity in the Philippines was first provided to the greater Manila area by Sociedad Mercantil in
1890. By 1971, there were about 479 electric utility generating plants with a total capacity of
2,314,868 kilowatts. Concurrently, 22.5% of the population already had access to electricity.

The Philippines is now considered as one of the fastest-growing nations in the entire world. Total
power generation and consumption in the Philippines from 2012 to 2016 is increasing because more
establishment and residential areas had greater requirements for cooling system and a growing
economy, and the development of more private and public infrastructure.

Presentation:
Fossil fuels are the single biggest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but the government
and business in the Philippines continues to support coal based power plant in consequence of the
fact that it is the cheapest fuel option however the most polluting one.

The rising demand of energy in the Philippines leads into the growth of different power sources. For
decades, the country had been dependent on hydroelectric power plants which are inadequate to
supply the energy demand especially during dry seasons. The installation of the Power Plant was a
response to the power crisis that struck in the early 90s. According to Wikipedia, as of September
2020 there are 19 non-renewable coal power plant listed in the Philippines.

According to the Philippine Case Study: Comparison of Health Impacts, Costs & Benefits of Different
Generating Technologies Using IAEA's Tools/Methodologies by M.R. Mundo and H. Arriola that The
Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) update projects that more than 22,000 megawatts (MW) of installed
capacity will be needed by the end of 2008 to supply the electricity requirements of the main grids,
the small-island grids ( it is an interconnected network for distributing electricity from producers to
consumers) and that of the missionary electrification program of the government. It is also estimated
that by 2008, about 95% of all villages or barangays in the country would be enjoying the benefits of
having electricity.

To meet this demand, by 2008 the net installed generating capacity will reach about 22,111 MW. A
generating capacity of a total of 13, 084 MW will have to be added to the 1998 level of 11,615 MW
and 2,588 MW decrepit oil- and coal-based thermal power plants will be scheduled for cease
between 1999 and 2008.

The installed capacity of power plants supplied by indigenous sources will increase 2.4 times from
5,061 MW in 1998 to 12,920 MW in 2008. Therefore there will be an increase in its sufficiency level
from 43.5 percent in 1998 to 55.6 percent in 2008.

On the other hand, the operation of Coal based Power Plants have harmful aftereffect that can cause
long-term ecological, environmental and biological issues especially to the nearby communities.

Outcomes: