Coal back as number one power source

Business World Online


COAL OVERTOOK natural gas as the country’s top power source in 2010, having produced more than a third of electricity generated that year, data from the Department of Energy showed.

Of the 67,743 Gigawatt hours (Gwh) produced in 2010, about 23,301 Gwh were sourced from coal, up by 41.4% from the previous year’s figure.

Meanwhile, natural gas produced 19,518 Gwh of electricity or 28.8% of the total. From 2005 to 2009, natural gas was the number one power source in the Philippines, accounting for as much as 32.2% of power generation.

University of Asia and the Pacific economist Peter Lee U said it is not surprising that natural gas placed second to coal in 2010.

“Aside from the fact that [coal is] the cheapest, it is also the easiest to generate,” he explained.

“Natural gas is large in terms of capacity, but it is difficult in the medium term to increase its share. Here, our main source of natural gas is the Malampaya [gas field], and I only expect plateaus [in growth] since natural gas is fixed by the capacity that we have, unless they build new natural gas [power stations] in Malampaya,” Mr. U added.

“To prolong it, you need additional investment. How much you can take or extract is a function of technology,” he said.

Other energy sources were geothermal (14.7% or 9,929 Gwh), hydro (11.5% or 7,803 Gwh), oil (10.5% or 7,101 Gwh), and other renewable sources like wind, solar, and biomass (90Gwh).

Mr. U noted that power sourcing in the Philippines is more diversified than in other countries.

Nearly 75% or 50,265 Gwh of electricity generated in 2010 came from Luzon. A total of 9,075 Gwh came from Visayas, and 8,403 Gwh from Mindanao. — T. P. Octaviano

POWER GENERATION BY SOURCE IN GIGAWATT HOURS (GWH), Total Philippines
	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	% Share in 2010
Oil-Based	6,141	4,665	5,148	4,868	5,381	7,101	10.5
Oil-Thermal	309	274	324	658	909	1,364	2.0
Diesel	5,717	4,152	4,162	3,660	3,771	4,532	6.7
Gas Turbines/CC	116	239	662	550	700	1,205	1.8
Hydro	8,387	9,939	8,563	9,843	9,788	7,803	11.5
Geothermal	9,902	10,465	10,215	10,723	10,324	9,929	14.7
Coal	15,257	15,294	16,837	15,749	16,476	23,301	34.4
Other Renewable (Wind, Solar, Biomass)	19	55	59	63	79	90	0.1
Natural Gas	16,861	16,366	18,789	19,576	19,887	19,518	28.8
Total	56,568	56,784	59,612	60,821	61,934	67,743	100.0
Source: Department of Energy