Opportunities Galore in Renewable Energy.

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We made a trip to the north to visit two or our sites in Region 1 province.   On the side we had an agent of a construction company, and solar energy evaluate future sitesfor RE.

    1.  Solar farm -  there were 3 sites:    and they are all near the urban areas and near the grid. 

          We saw a solar farm being constructecd by Megawide at Sta Baarbara and indeed it was about  a km

          from the NGCP

         The two other sities were near Zambales, and the other one was near grid rieally in a fmaous town

\        being linked to Pogo. It was about 60 hectares, priced at low 3 numbers   

        The other one was available for lease at only P30.00/sm   Wow

  2.  Existing solar farm for sale.   In a pilgrim town

  3.  Opprtunity for hydro, tie up with cooperative.   They are looking for financier contractor for mini     hydro   They will buy the power to be generated

What about EVs?

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EVs have all ready invaded Philippines.   Beginning with E bikes.   Manhy Ebikes cost only over P10, 000 and have been nuisance in MM highways.

BYD, Geely, mostly Chinese brands are all ready here.  Tesla has put up its office at BGC.

But wait, the problem with EV is range.  And there is what youo call range anxiety.   The farthest many EVs can go is 600 km.  The problem is in existence of charger infrastructure.  Hence BYD has invented the C6 super charger.   ie that it can fully charge your battery for full charge for only 10 minutes.

BYD has also come out with land water craft.    This willl put to shame 4x4:   TLC, Glenwagen, adn Range Rover. 

We wait before we buy the right EV.  ICE will be out by 2030?

Opportunities in RE - raw lands for solar farms

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Three weeks ago we were on a trip to Pangasinan.   Out of nowhere our contact said 100 has was available for solar farm in the City we were in Pangasian.    This could e acquired  cheap and they have the papers ready.   They have papers for sities in Bugallon, Sta Barbara and San Carlos.  

Since the potential investment is P3.74 trillion, there is a lot of demand for land.    We could do a landbanking and flip?

We were informed that there are following available land:   flat near grid.  It could be sales or lease.

        Sual  -                  60 hectares

        San Carlos          100 hectares

        Dasol. -               unknown yet  (but we have the maps)

So far we can match this to two RE companies. 

While people are busy following the new telenovela at the legislature, we help solve the problems and try to earn some money.   

Philippines is now ranked no. 4 world wide in Renewable energy after China India Chile

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This is a remarkable jump in energy program of DOE as of the end of 2023.

BOI has given green lane certifcates to 114 RE projects worth  $66.56 billion or  P3.74 trillion in php.   further increasing foreign direct investment in the Philippines.   

BOI grants green lane certificates to 114 RE projects

Manila: The Philippines is making significant strides in promoting renewable energy and attracting foreign direct investments (FDI) in the sector.

The Board of Investments (BOI) has so far granted “green lane certificates” to 114 renewable energy projects valued at 3.74 trillion pesos ($66.56 billion), according to the state investment promotion agency.

For example, due to the green lane certifications, Aboitiz-led PV Sinag Power, Inc. has kicked off operations of the 94.717 megawatt-power Cayanga-Bugallon Solar Power Project in Panagasinan.

Mistake research on mini hydro

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An acquaintance who is a pastor doing evangelical work at Eastern Quezon mentioned a need for power supply for far flung areas.  This post took this as electrification of far flung areas.   (Later I found out that this was power supply for the AV equipment in their evangelical work)

Some of the micro hydro projects are:

1.  DIY using recycled alternators from cars and obtained from junk shops.  Some of the hydro are from dams and others are simply piped in from tanks or cisterns from atop mountains.

2.  More sophisticated system like the Turbulent made in Belgium.  They have partnered with PNOC;  Philippines is one of the ten places where they have projects.  Costs $4,000/kW and power costs at about 2 cents per kwh.    Thats about  P5.000 or about 50% less than Meralco power rates.

This is 50% cheaper than solar, although this 24/7 system.

This is worth looking into as about 1/8 of the areas in the Philippines (and teh world) are not yet energized.  We also have plenty of rivers, streams and mountains

Distributed home wind turbine outperforms solar panel

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Solar does only 20%

Advantages:

1.   Produces 6 kwh 

2.  Cost about $7,000

3.  Lasts 25 years

4.  ROI for only 5 years (more than 10%)

5.  Multi directional.

Downside not many places have wind.  

Water powered ICE cars? Did they copy from previous inventors? Toyota is leading the way..

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There were  water powered internal combustion engines before which included Alen Mayer and our own Dingle.   They mysteriously died or their inventionrs mysteriously disappeared .    There were allegations that fuel companies conspired that they be not launched and recognized as business will be taken away fromm them.

Now the growing scarcity of fossil fuel and the need to remove carbon from atmosphere (which lead to climate change) have provoked research into alternative energy sources:

1. Electric vehicles -  But experts figured out that the production of batteries generated at least 12,000 kg of carbon from extraction to processing.  The cars also has dangers as Li has been known to burn and cause fires.  There is problem with charging infrastructures, and problem with range.  Many EV owners are returning to ICE cars

2.  Hydrogen - flammable and problem in handling and logistics.   You need heavy duty tanks and the hydrogen infrastructures  are few and would be  expensive to produce.  Toyota has done research into this

3.  Now comes water powered ICE cars.   The car is loaded with water and hydrolosis of water into hydrogen and oxygen is done int the car.  There would still be battery for hydrolysis (coming from solar panels).  There is no need for separate hydrolosis and storage.    This will need for redesign of engines. Toyota is into this and probably all EVs manufacturer will shift into this engine/technology.

Experts predict that this will be wave of the future for vechicle technology.   Fossil fuel will be rserved for heavy industries and heavy transport   lessening pollution and conserving fossil fuel.   

Is Saudi telling the truth about their oil reserves?

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Is Saudi Arabia running out of oil.  It may have overstated its oil reserves?

When Arabs took over the oil fields (via Aramco) they restated their oil reserves increased by about 100 billion barrels.   

The reserves can be over in as little as 9 years.  It is good that the world has been looking for renewable  energy.  And would not be hurt much if Saudi run out of oil.   

If you do your math, Saudi which produces 10 million barrels of oil a day....  And you can guess if they are telling the truth about their reserves.  Why cant they increase their production beyond 10 million

Take note that bulk of their budget and expoerts come from oil. It is noteworthy though that KSA makes invstment in tourism and other businesses.

The problem with wind energy

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More wind farms are being built in the Philippines.    In Luzon, you have Burgos in Ilocos.   In Bugarin, at Alabat island, and soon at Tanay.  But there are a lot of problems with regards to wind energy.

Find out

Connecting PV to the grid is complicated - no wonder Meralco and other DUI do not interconnect your rooftop to the grid

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Most rooftop PV are not interconnected to the grid.  This is the reason why.  

Concentrated Solar Plant - none in the Philippines yet

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Its simply reflecting sun;s rays into a point with molten salt.  There is less CSP vs PV panels.   USA CSP failed.   China keeps on building CSP

But CSP does things PV cant -  generating electricity at night.  Molten salt can be stored

The new solar panel - perovskite

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New method of storing energy - TPV - Themo Photovoltaic

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Why do we need this?   Hydropower turbines operate at 60% efficiency,   steam  turbine at 30%.  We need more efficient energy generation and storage
 

An energy source melts down tin at passes room with inert gas so that tin does not oxidize.  Then the heat is stored in graphite .  With a large surface area, the heat does not dissipate for months

What do you think?

Energy storage - pumped storage is the most efficient e. g. Caliraya

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Pumping water up the elevated dam, lake structure, during low demand, and having the water from the elevated dam run turbines during peak demand

Run of river hydroelectric power plant

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Vs high investment hydroelectric dam.  We can implement this in many mountain or communities with rivers.  Or in islands.

Amazing hydroelectric power technologies

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 Some of them are micro and are distributed. Not centralized and does not disrupt the environment, nor caused widespread failure, Costs little cap ex and investment. Could be worth going into, and is cheaper compared to solar or wind.

Truth about hydrogen

Savings from oil and coal importation The pros and cons:

The future of hydrogen economu

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Is hydrogen the answer for future energy needs?

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An unlimited source of energy?  A replacement to Internal Combustion Engine?  Cleaner than EVs ?

A replacement for fossil fuel.  For EVs which is threatened by scarcity of rare earth metals.

After all, its the way sun produces energy

What about downside:   H2 station, risk of fires, transport? Handling

Google through FERVO is investing in RE - Geothermal

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Google is not investing in the net but in renewable energy but in Renewable Energy with FERVO

Micro hydro of Jomar in Albay - endless options for renewable energy

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Used for rice cooker, karaoke.  He gets paid for this.

Wave power to generate electricity

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In some areas this is a relentless source of energy.   Wave never stops coming 24/7.

We could save our fossil fuel from being depleted, save earth from pollution and global warming.  Energy from the earth, renewable and endless:

World's first dual tower CSP starts commissioning in China - the power of sun, mirror and salt

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The power of sun mirror and salt.

What is CSP?  It is concentrated solar power.  It is reflecting sun rays via mirror to a tower which boils water into steam, (or a fluid sent on heat exchanger to turn into steam to run turbines)   The heat is stored in molten salt so that the whole works work at night.  Such an advantage because CSP works 24/7.  Clearly an advantage over:

    1.  Solar panel that works only 1/3 of the day;

    2.  Wind power that stops occasionally;

    3.   Hydro that works when rivers are dry.

There are two functioning CSP:  one in Morocco and one in Mojave desert in USA.

Most of them use single tower.  

But China uses twin tower for 24% efficiency.  The China tech uses concentric array of mirrors which follow the sun.  The mirrors reflect on twin towers:   so efficiency is apparent:   one set of mirror arrays servicing two towers.  

DOE targets for RE until 2040

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There is a gap between what the DOE - OECD, and DOE projects as targets:    40% RE share by 2040, vs 34% by DOE alone, and 24% energy savings vs. 5% by DOE

Notable is the 10% penetration by EVs for the same period.  But the Chinese BYD will lead the charge.  Tang has a range of 500 km but costs a lot

    DOE goals for clean energy

Altenergy to build second Wind Farm in govt owned land in Tanay Rizal

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Investments in Renewable Energy under the initiative of PBBM and at the instance of Western Countries about Climate Change is speeding up in the Philippines

Altenergy, the builder of the Pililla wind farm is doin the second wind farm   It is owned by Altenergy Tanay Wind  Corporation, will cost P10 billion and 112 mW capacity.  It is to be funded by BPI and Security Bank

It recently inaugurated a wind farm at Alabat Island 

It will start operations by 2025 according to its President Vince Perez of Altenergy

Marching on with RE.  

Altenergy to build second wind farm in Tanay Rizal

Part 2 in Tanay, Rizal

ACEN to construct 1,000 mW floating solar power farm at Laguna Lake

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ACEN through its subsidiary (Sun Asia) will put up a 1,000 mW floating solar farm on a 800 hectare area at Laguna Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines.   The project will cost $1.3 billion and will augment the hungry power requirements of the Luzon grid.  

ACEN signs MoA with LLDA for its 1000 mW floating solar farm at Laguna Lake

One wonders about its structural stability and durability to withstand storms  and natural disaster.   

This is a great stride in RE development in the Philippines

Its all ready partially operational at Bay Laguna.  According to the President Theresa Capellan, 1,000 mW can power roughly 1 million homes.  She cited the low tariff which makes the payback period 50 years (less than 1%) and many approvals needed to get started... Whew  

The world's biggest

How Geothermal Power Plant works

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Advantages: clean, non polluting, low footprint

Geothermal energy all ready provides 60% of power requirements along California's Pacific Coast

  

Philippines Geothermal plant at Tiwi Albay 275 MW of clean power (courtesy of Mt. Mayon?)

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We thank Mt Mayon for this, on our way for power gen sustainability to lessen need for oil imports.

We heard that last weekend they increased the BaCman power generation without having to add more infrastructures.

DOST and DOE signs MOA for innovation in Renewable Energy

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DOST and DOE recently signed a MoA to foster innovation for Renewable Energy in the Philippines This will be funded by RETF (Renewable Energy Trust Fund) from ROE act of 2008.  The fund will fund research in biomass, wind, solar, geothermal projects through PPP

DOE DOST signs MoA for Renewable Energy innovation via RETF

Road map to Philippine Renewable Energy Goals

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The Philippines need $337 billion to achieve its renewable goal of 50% RE and 24% energy savings goal by 2040.  This was result of the study of Organization for EconPhils Roadmap to Clean Energy Roadmapomic Development and Development

and DOE.   PHL must have strong policy framework and address bureaucracy to entice investment and fund mobilization. OECD has program for Clean Energy Finance and Investment Mobilization program (CEFIM) The study focuses on offshore wind, and  energy efficiency

Clean Energy and Finance Roadmap

The above is needed by PHL if it wants to avail of funds from  CEFIM

The $337 billion runs into trillions.  That is a lot of PHP.  

Predicting the top 20 companies for the next 30 years

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Warren Buffet analyzes the top 20 companies of the world  5 of them are in US.  And in a country that before had only 0.5% of the world's population. The top companies have valuation of trillions of $

For the top 20 companies in the last 30 years none of them are in the new top 20.   Why?  What has changed.  Their valuation were only in the billions.

What will be the new industries that will be successful.?  AI?  Can we be in those industries?  What will propel the new generation of companies and investments/industries>

Bank of Philippine Islands and RCBC reducing exposure to fossil (coal) fired power plants

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Quite remarkable move by these two banks to reduce emission stop globall warming and promote sustainability    

Apart from RCBC and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), which just last April announced plans to bring down its coal exposure by half in 2026 and to zero by 2037, no other local bank has followed suit or made public pronouncements. The momentum at the global level is high, but not so much at the local level.Jun 29, 2021

Bank of Philippine Islands Coal Policy

This too bad for Semirara and other local coal companies.  SID and DMCI had had their days.  God bless

Waste to Energy Power Plant

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Is OPEC's move to cut production sustainable

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Many say no.  There are non OPEC nations.  The production cut is obviously cutting into their oil revenues.  Sooner or later they will have to resume production.

Pres Biden is hurting OPEC by releasing strategic oil reserves to drive down prices (by increasing supply)

and is buying at lower price (US is fighting OPEC).  Couple that with increasing energy from renewables and oil exporting countries may be doomed  Besides supply is running out   Fossil fuels are non renewable.  Smart Arab nations have discounted energy business away from their projections.  

Converting animal (cattle) waste into electricity

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We always think of taking care of  having cattle as a business is full of shit.  Yes, its full of shit, and shit can be used to generate electricity.  For farms, sometimes electric bills run into millions.  

Methane and shit smell can be captured to generate electricity and save money

There is no combustion and fuel cells are stacked on top of one another.    There can a centralized power plant that runs 24/7, rain or shine.  Unlike solar that works only when there is sun, and for wind farms when wind is blowing.   

This solves the animal waste stink and save energy costs too.

Waste to energy plant - a truly renewable sustainable set up (municipal incinerator cum power plant)

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I just met an experienced technician who knows how to make incinerator.  I just learned that he just completed a municipal incinerator.   Disposing off garbage in landfills does not seem to be a viable option any more.  We are running out of landfills.  And you cant have sanitary landfill.  It would be always polluting.  Have you experienced smelled leaching from a landfill?

By installing a heat exchanger and/or heat recovery system, the heat generated can generate electricity from a steam turbine.

But recycling and burning other excess waste can be workable. 

Will the major cities (50+ of them) see the light.  Will this be ppp project?        

Marine energy - energy from waves, tides

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Waves, tides go on and on daily and is wasted .  From govt grant, a research and development on conversion of wave motion to electricity, up to 300 kwh is being tested.   This could work well in places like Philippines which is composed of island to solve grid problem and electrical transmission.  

This is an area that can be investigated and be an investment opportunity.

SMR (Small Modular Reactors) - a renewable energy source being overlooked?

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One of the sources of energy being overlooked is nuclear energy.  It serves the purpose of lessening carbon emission, solves the intermittent nature of wind and solar energy.

But people are wary of dangers  the meltdown from nuclear power plants as seen at Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Mile Long Island.  But SMR can be an answer.  They are assembled in a factory transported in trucks and then installed on site  The problem of nuclear waste has been reduced. 

Other downsides are:    large capex for its production, long construction period, 

Many countries like France use a lot of nuclear energy.    Pres. BBM is pushing for the SMRs

Shall we learn to accept SMR

Energy storage systems

When we talk about energy storage, what usually comes to mind is battery system.  But there are various ways by which energy can be stored aside from battery:

1.  Heat storage via  salt, sand

2.  Storage via kinetic energy and gravity

3.  Hydraulic system as in Caliraya:     When there is excess power, a pump is driven bring water up to the lake dam, and when power is scarce, the water is released to generate power.   With all the power generated, how do you balance this vs. demand

Which is better - wind or solar?

 Which is better - wind is solar?  The debate goes on and on   It is better to  have them hybrid.  

But hybrid wont work, if there is no wind, or there are days when there is no sunlight.   

Which is cheaper -  wind or solar.   Which is better - rooftop system or centralized system.