The Philippines as a tropical archipelago has the potential to generate a lot of energy from natural resources. In recent years, solar panels in the Philippines have come to the forefront in cost efficiency with regular consumers. In truth, the Philippines has been generating energy from renewable resources for a long while now. It has only been in recent history that more and more of the Filipino people are recognizing the benefits of renewable energies as an alternative to oil and carbon. Listed below are the renewable energies found in the Philippines, as well as the geographic location of the power plants where they can be found.
Hydroelectric Power
Moving water is a powerful source of energy. The power harnessed from moving bodies of water is called hydroelectric power. The Philippines make use of two methods in order to harness power; dam storage or impoundment, and run-of-river. While impoundment makes use of man-made dams in order to store water, run-of-river relies on flowing bodies of water like waterfalls. Both methods turn a turbine in order to generate power. Hydroelectric power plants in the Philippines are located in Pangasinan, Benguet, Laguna, Isabela, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Sur, Bohol, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, and Misamis Oriental.
Geothermal Power
Geothermal energy comes from the heat beneath the Earth’s surface. There are two methods of extracting geothermal energy used in the Philippines: the flash steam and the binary cycle. Geothermal energy extracted through flash steaming extracts water with a temperature greater than 182 °C using steam pipes. The steam is used to power turbines that generate energy, while the remaining water is released back into the ground. The binary process extracts water at a lower temperature than flash steaming. The extracted water is then used to boil a working liquid with a lower boiling point that will power the turbine. The water is also released back into the ground. Geothermal plants in the Philippines are located in Laguna, Sorsogon, Albay, Batangas, Negros Occidental, Leyte, and North Cotabato.
Solar Power
Solar energy is used as a source of energy in the Philippines through industrial sized photovoltaic plants in the country. The Philippines has only recently incorporated large scale solar farms in the country, despite the fact that the country is geographically located in a region that receives a high amount of sunlight each year. Major solar farms in the Philippines can be found in Cavite, Pampanga, Ilocos Norte, and Cagayan de Oro.
Wind Energy
Like water, moving air also generates energy through wind turbines that supply kinetic energy through mechanical power. The turbines then power a generator to produce energy. Wind power plants in the Philippines are located in Ilocos Norte, Rizal, Guimaras, and Aklan.
Biomass Energy
Biomass energy is similar to fossil fuel in that it is combusted in order to boil water to produce steam that will drive a generator. Being an agricultural country, the Philippines is rich in natural resources like bagasse, rice husks, and coconut husks are used instead of fossil fuel. Biomass power plants in the Philippines are located in Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Laguna, Isabela, and Metro Manila.
The Philippines has plenty of sources for generating energy through the renewable energy plants spread out in the country. At present, there have been an increased number of consumers incorporating the use of solar panels in the Philippines. This rise in awareness has sparked the Filipino community to recognize the many benefits of having clean energies powering our homes and businesses.
