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EDC to increase power output of existing geothermal plants with binary cycle additions

EDC to increase power output of existing geothermal plants with binary cycle additions 50 MW geothermal plant, Northern Negros, Philippines (source: Thorndon Cook Power)
Alexander Richter 28 Feb 2020

EDC in the Philippines is looking at expanding its geothermal power generation capacity with secondary/ bottoming cycle binary plants at existing geothermal power plant operations.

The Philippines-based Energy Development Corp. (EDC) has announced plans on setting up binary plants in each of its existing geothermal plants in the country to boost its power-generation capacity by the end of the year.

A unit of the Lopez-owned First Gen Corp. which has the largest portfolio of power plants using clean and renewable technology, EDC is a geothermal energy industry pioneer in the Philippines.

The company said the binary plants will allow the company to enhance its power-generation capacity without building new power plants outside existing geothermal concessions.

EDC currently operates geothermal plants in Kananga and Ormoc Leyte; Valencia in Negros Oriental; Bacon in Sorsogon and Manito in Albay; and Kidapawan in North Cotabato.

It seems the company targets small plants of 5-20 MW in power generation capacity, one per site.

With a challenging environment for further development of new projects, this is seen as an option to increase overall capacity and power output. At the same time it would be seen as a way to address sustainability by increased re-injection into reservoirs.

“Steam in the Philippines is wet steam.  Before it gets to the turbine, the water called brine are usually thrown away. Here, we will harvest them and reinject it into reservoir and overtime, to produce more heat,” so Allan V. Barcena, head of Corporate Social Responsibility

He also said the binary plants the company plans to build are all inside the geothermal concession, hence, it will not require the company to undergo a tedious permitting process compared to building a new plant outside existing concession areas.

EDC is today the largest geothermal operator in the world with an installed and operating capacity of around 1,200 MW or around 60% of the overall geothermal power generation capacity in the Philippines.

Source: Business Mirror