Island group in the North of the Philippines could benefit from geothermal power
One of the many islands off the coast of the Philippines (source: flickr/ eric molina, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
12 Apr 2016
Three islands off the coast in the North of the Philippines could benefit from geothermal power development. Likely lower heat geothermal resources, they represent an opportunity for binary geothermal power plants.
The Philippines Department of Energy has identified three islands of Calayan Municipality in Cagayan in the North of the Philippines as having high potential for geothermal development.
These islands are Camiguin, Dalupiri and Babuyan, as identified by DOE-Geothermal Energy Management Division chief Engineer Ariel D. Fronda. The islands are part of the Babuyan Group of Islands.
“We have an on-going exploratory activities in these areas to evaluate their potential geothermal energy capacities that might be suitable for power generation with the use of binary technology and other direct-use applications,” Fronda said.
“If the geothermal energy resources in the island town are suitable for power generation, then we will promote these geothermal areas to investors for geothermal energy exploration, development and utilization,” he said.
Fronda said if these potential areas will be developed, it will surely address insufficient supply of diesel-powered electricity, which operates 10-12 hours daily in Calayan Municipality while some barangays still do not have access to electricity.
He explained that benefits a host community could get from the geothermal projects through a government share which is equal to one-percent of the gross income of renewable energy resource developers, where 40 percent of it will be given to local government.
Source: Update.ph
