Sunstar Davao
By Fe San Juan Hidalgo
Citizen Fe
Monday, October 27, 2014
THIS headline in our paper last week caught my attention. This is one of my most extensively researched subject matter when I was writing my book on Sustainable Development of the Environment. This book won the Google Books award for the most Outstanding Book on Science and Environment for year 2000. Energy sources studies have been investigated and harnessed in all countries. Davao City is one of the latest to do this. With the impending shortage of electrical power in 2015, the City Council was tasked by the Mayor Duterte to schedule it for deliberation now.
Hydro electric power source is first in the agenda. It is the easiest to find and harness in a city like ours. We can start with small hydro electric plants. We need a considerable size of a body of water to start the project. I personally visited the large Binga and Ambuklao dams in Baguio City while researching for my book. My tour guide brought me to an underground tunnel almost equal to a ten-story building in its depth. Each story has murals of famous painters. I was wondering about the tunnel. My guide told me that it is needed to build the dam. You will understand this when I describe the smaller hydro electric power source.
The needs of Davao City can be met by building smaller or mini hydro electric power sources. I will describe these in a common man's language so my readers will understand it. The location must have a body of water. A dam is constructed here, about six meters high. This will not entail the submersion of large areas to dislocate many villages. Restrictions include these: no watersheds will be affected, minimal cutting of trees, and minimal displacement of dwellers living there.
Dams make possible the rise on the water level. The free flow of the descending will operate the turbines. The turbines are connected to motors which will transform the mechanical energy into the electrical energy. This in turn will bring the electricity passing through insulated wires to our homes or to factories where it is needed The electricity is measured in megawatts like 5 to 50 MWs in these small small hydroelectric power sources. The consumers pay for the electric bills they consume. Now you see how this electricity is produced. Your cooperation is needed in conserving this. Do not be wasteful. Turn off electricity when not needed.
Geothermal sources of energy are abundant in our country. The heat is coming from the heat of the earth's interior. They appear as geysers or hot springs. In our country we have many volcanoes which accounts for the earth's heated interior. Imagine, in my data of year 2000,the Philippines is second to the United States in their geothermal power capacities. This energy source is cheap, abundant, and clean. On record, the Mindanao Mount Apo has not been fully explored with the 60 MWs when its potential is 240 MWs. Also listed are Manat-Amacan, Malindang, Balaingasag, and Mainit. These sources need only ten to twenty hectares of land for installation, 3 to 5 years to construct and less capital investment is needed compared to dams.
Wind as a source of energy is already in existence in Ilocos. Solar power is being used now in some places in Mindanao for street lamps, in school buildings in evacuation areas and some homes provided by a German based company. I have been advocating its use. It is inexhaustible, clean, non-polluting and free for anyone to get it. The initial expense may be much but it will last. What are needed are solar panels to be installed in the homes or factories. The energy can be stored in batteries to be used at night.
For me, I will not include nuclear energy here. It is not recommendable. Many countries have stopped using it for its known hazards. When something goes wrong with it like leakage or breaking down with earthquakes, calamities happen. We saw Fukushima reactor in Japan when damaged by an earthquake followed by a tsunami. Until now there are dangers of toxic fallout in the Pacific Ocean and countries north of Japan. Imagine, there was a plan to revive our nuclear plant in Bataan. This did not happen with rallies of citizens opposing it. Now, the plant is a" white elephant" reminding as of many anomalies concerning its financing and worst discovering that it stands near an earthquake fault line.
Just remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan at the end of World War11. Countless people died. Some are alive now but carrying deformities and bald. After this descriptive account of all possible power plants in our city, we can decide what we want. This could be the end of our woes with our Meralco bills with all its added charges due to providers of its power. All the power plants we describe here are the power providers without any other agencies. For comments text cp number 09202112534. source
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