Mistake research on mini hydro

Savings from oil and coal importation

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

The problem with wind energy

Savings from oil and coal importation

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

Waste to Energy Power Plant

Savings from oil and coal importation

Large scale NaS battery from NGK insulators

Savings from oil and coal importation

NaS energy storage system soluiton

I read in Fortune Magazine the NaS (Sodium Sulfur) Battery energy storage system of NGK Insulators of Japan.  They have up to 15 years life and can come in containerized form for easy installation. They have installations of as low as 50 kW up to 300 kW in various locations.

This makes wind and solar energy more stable with the storage system.  We all know that there is no energy from solar panels 2/3 of the day or during rainy or inclement weather.   Or when there is no wind.

Thus an energy storage system would be a necessity. An ideal RE system would consist of a wind, solar farm, and  storage system.

NGK would seem to have come with a viable ready solution

The only supplier of NaS battery is NGK. It bought the technology from Ford Motor Corporation jointly developed this with TEPPCO (the one that runs the nuclear power plant)   The battery is made from readily available materials:   aluminum, sodium from sea water as well as sulfur.  The battery has 15 years life and good up to 2,500 cycles. It operates at temp of 300 degrees.  The sodium is can tach fire when oxidized or when it contacts with water and thus safety is important in its use\usage

The only other viable system for power storage is the hydro as in Kalayaan Laguna.  The output of hydro at night is used to pump up Laguna lake water which generates energy during daytime for industrial consumption.  But such facilities are limited by geography.

NaS works for wind, solar, and concentrated solar power (where the suns rays are collected to generate steam to generate electricity.   Electricity generated at daytime can be stored at the batteries, and the heat can be stored at salt towers too.

Cost would be about $0.08 per kwatt hour (P4.00) so that makes solar power using storage very expensive even if LCOE is P5.00

There was a fire incident in its plant in Tsukuba Japan and NGK has temporarily suspended its production.  NGK has requested those who bought the batteries to refrain from using the batteries until such time that the cause of fire has been determined. From Greentech media

Xtreme power also experienced a small fire at its plant in Hawaii and farm.

From Energy Storage News

Our meeting with top China govt official on energy

Podium, Mandaluyong City, PHL  |  May 15, 2013

       Bro. Eddie, Prof Lulu, Prof Jorge, Dr. Yi Chianglian, and Li lin at Shi Lin Resto at the Podium


Prof Jorge and Eddie, upon sponsorship of Prof Lulu Moguel, met a high ranking official of Dept of Energy in China at the Shin Lin Restaurant today in Podium.  Prof Lulu learned that Prof Jorge is embarking on RE introduced Prof Jorge to the said official who visit the PHL once a month for his PhD degree at Lyceum

Dr. Yi holds 3 PhD;  and is working on the fourth PhD.  Dr. Yi is in charge of gas and oil of the country which is under the supervision of the government.   Energy development, exploration, distribution according to Lin lin (who holds an MBA from AGSB) is under government control in China;   no private entity can be in energy business in China.

Our contacts will refer us to the right supplier for renewable energy in China.

                                   Dr Yi Chianglian in charge of Energy

                               Prof Jorge  and Lin lin;  Prof Lulu at right

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                                       Lin lin, Dr Yi and Prof Lulu Moguel