Business Mirror
Published on Thursday, 18 April 2013 20:03 Written by Jonathan L. Mayuga / Reporter
THE Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) called on the Aquino administration on Thursday to do away with coal-fired energy and go for clean, renewable-energy (RE) sources to meet the country’s increasing power demand.
The group, composed of over 100 organizations, networks and alliances representing basic sectors of society is preparing for a National Day of Action on April 22, in time for the celebration of Earth Day to kick off its “Collateral Damage Campaign” to oppose the construction of more coal-fired power plants in the country.
They said the campaign will help people realize the adverse impacts of coal as against environment-friendly sources such as thermal, wind, solar, hydro and even ocean current waves, just waiting to be tapped with the shift to RE.
Despite the passage of the Renewable Energy Act of 2010, members of the group expressed concern over the direction of the Philippines in pursuing energy security and self-sufficiency.
The group said that under the Philippine Energy Plan 2008-2030, the overarching plan to promote energy security and self-sufficiency, allegedly in cahoots with big local and foreign power and energy corporations, 12 new coal plants are already in the pipeline that will produce a total of 4,285 megawatts (MW) and six more are proposed in Cebu, Negros, Isabela, Zamboanga Sibugay, Masbate and Palawan, with a total equivalent output of 692 MW. Several more provinces, the PMCJ said, among them Romblon, Mindoro and Leyte are also being eyed by power corporations as possible coal-fired power plants hosts.
Along with these plans, the group added, is the push for local coal production, citing that the Department of Energy is pushing for an increase in coal production by 250 percent, as evidenced by the awarding of 76 coal-operating contracts, 16 of which were awarded in February.
Gerry Arances, coordinator of PMCJ, said coal is not the answer to energy security and self-sufficiency. Instead of “dirty” coal, he said the government should pursue the development of clean, RE sources, which offers vast potential given the priority in terms of policies, programs and budget.
Contrary to popular belief, he said coal is not the cheapest source of energy.
In fact, Arances said numerous studies have shown that coal is the dirtiest and most harmful source of energy, aside from being the biggest contributor to global warming and climate change. The adverse effect of coal, he said, should be factored in, in computing the cost of coal to be able to know whether its benefits really outweigh the cost.
Speaking at a press briefing in Quezon City on Thursday, Arances said that a 100-MW coal plant emits an estimated 25 pounds of mercury a year. Mercury is a toxic substance that can contaminate water bodies and pose great risk to people and environment.
According to Arances, only 0.002 pounds of accumulated mercury is needed to contaminate a 10-hectare lake to the point where fish caught are deemed unfit for human consumption.
“The problem with coal-fired power plants is that it requires a lot of coal. This means that we need to open more mines to extract coal,” he said.
This, he said, would mean massive destruction of the country’s forests, which runs contrary to the government’s own programs and policies of promoting “environmental sustainability.”
For his part, Erwin Quiñones of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center said coal is also not the solution to the Mindanao power crisis.
He said given the negative environmental and social impacts that coal brings, the government should be cautions in addressing the Mindanao power crisis.
Currently there are four coal-fired power plants in the pipeline being proposed in Mindanao, two of which are spearheaded by the Alcantara-led Conal Holdings and Cojuangco-led San Miguel Energy. source
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