Renewable energy 'not as expensive as perceived'

Sunstar Davao

RENEWABLE energy is not as expensive as claimed by those pushing for coal power and other regular sources of energy that come with high carbon footprints, a program coordinator of worldwide environmental group Greenpeace said.

Amalie Obusan also denied claims by the Aboitiz Power that their proposed coal-fired power plant will have minimal effect on the environment as no such technology has yet been developed to deliver what Aboitiz Power is claiming.

Those in the power sector and the government have been saying that tapping renewable energy costs a lot.

When Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte shared her misgivings about welcoming the coal-fired power plant in Davao City, she even said that she would have opted for a waste-to-energy technology or renewable energy sources but that these are very expensive.

"The only expensive part in putting up a (renewable energy) power plant is only at the beginning. Once the plant is already there, the operating expenses are cheaper," she said.

She added that coal power plants cost higher in terms of maintenance and its operation.

Obusan said the technology that Aboitiz Power intends to use will only capture carbon dioxide wastes and emits some harmful components to the atmosphere.

She said the archipelagic characteristic of the Philippines makes it even more ideal for renewable energy as these can be made in small modules, which can be brought even to the farthest communities.

The problem is the government had only been concentrating on big power plants, thus disregarding the potentials of small power generators using renewable energy sources like wind, water, and sun, she added. (Jereco O. Paloma)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on November 13, 2010.