Energy, Power, and Utilities Industry

[rapuy]

Originally Posted by absinthe_888

Solar + Wind = Hot Air

DEMAND AND SUPPLY By Boo Chanco
(The Philippine Star) Updated June 01, 2011 12:00 AM

Back in the old days when government really thought out our energy options, we also looked at renewable energy with a lot of interest. But we always had our feet on the ground. We knew just what we can reasonably expect from such RE as solar and wind. The RE resources we really focused on were geothermal and hydro.

Lately however, it became fashionable to tout solar and wind as if these so called alternative energy sources can be anything more than “nice to have.” While it is true that we have so much sun in our tropical country, the available technology to capture energy from all that sunshine and transform it to usable electricity is still rather inefficient. In other words, even as producing a watt of electricity from solar has gone down through the years, it is still way above the cost of producing that same watt from oil, coal or geothermal.

Indeed, solar is still a technology undergoing development. Eventually, it should be commercially viable or competitive with conventional energy. Right now, the only way to make it viable is to subsidize it. It is the same thing with wind. They call that subsidy feed-in-tariff (FiT), a fancy term for the amount they want to add to our electricity bills supposedly to encourage more use of this type of renewable energy.....

This article is very informative on the economic aspect or renewable energies. Now I know what feed-in-tariff means.

But I beg to disagree on categorizing wind energy with solar PV as a high-cost form of renewable energy. Wind energy is one of the cheapest forms of renewable energy. It is even cheaper than hydro, depending on the scale. And with the mass productions of turbines in China and Europe, the cost is expected to go down further. Whereas, solar PV is on the top of the list of the most expensive.

In terms of efficiency, I think that wind is around 30% in conversion efficiency, same is true for other renewables, except for those using thermal energy conversion. For capacity factor, wind is around 40 to 50%, depending on the site selected. Acceptable but should not be paired with solar PV. Solar PV has an efficiency of around 20% and produces very little energy for the same amount of money you spend on other forms of energy.

I understand that wind energy technology is not yet mature in the Philippines. The Northwind power in Bangui has a very small capacity but I have heard that there is a significant reduction in their local cost of electricity. I don't know about the performance of Northwind if it is indeed economically sustainable.

Going into renewables is not only about cost. Of course there is value for the amount of reduced carbon dioxide emissions and other environmental benefits. If you want a cleaner and safer environment, then you will have to pay and invest on it.

[arcabe]

I guess the most feasible form of renewable energy for the Philippines is wind.

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by arcabe

I guess the most feasible form of renewable energy for the Philippines is wind.

Doable with reasonable efforts, that is! It is location-dependent though. Not all locations in the country can have this on a 24/7 basis, IMHO.

[arcabe]

Originally Posted by Parchie

Doable with reasonable efforts, that is! It is location-dependent though. Not all locations in the country can have this on a 24/7 basis, IMHO.

but if location permits, then it is feasible...economic-wise, it is a good choice and will have a higher ROI.

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by arcabe

but if location permits, then it is feasible...economic-wise, it is a good choice and will have a higher ROI.

That's the catch there. Location, location, location. . . just like in business studies! If you don't comply with those requisites, ROI goes out of the window!

[Deus Ex]

It can be built, it might have an impressive ROI, but we cannot thank anyone except the Chinese.

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by Deus Ex

It can be built, it might have an impressive ROI, but we cannot thank anyone except the Chinese.

Why the Chinese alone, sir? The first wind project in Bangui, Ilocos Norte was made thru the Danish International Development Agency. Are there info we knew nothing about?

[Danny19]

ANC Headstart: Making the Philippines a Solar Energy Hub


PART 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmILgDHNURA

PART 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C19En...feature=relmfu

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by Danny19

ANC Headstart: Making the Philippines a Solar Energy Hub


PART 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmILgDHNURA

PART 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C19En...feature=relmfu

Suffice it to say, no one can argue with the possibilities presented in those two video clips! But the easiest way to determine if those proposals made by the proponents do actually work is to make a pilot plant, a plant they envisioned to be. It's just like how Northwind did in Bangui Bay (Wind energy). If this is done and proven successful, then government can should go all out, no debates or arguments! That's how venture companies do; make a working example, let businesses see for themselves and maybe, government will just be assisting these businesses, not shelling-out a single centavo for a business that benefits all stakeholders, IHMO.

[rapuy]

Originally Posted by Parchie

Suffice it to say, no one can argue with the possibilities presented in those two video clips! But the easiest way to determine if those proposals made by the proponents do actually work is to make a pilot plant, a plant they envisioned to be. It's just like how Northwind did in Bangui Bay (Wind energy). If this is done and proven successful, then government can should go all out, no debates or arguments! That's how venture companies do; make a working example, let businesses see for themselves and maybe, government will just be assisting these businesses, not shelling-out a single centavo for a business that benefits all stakeholders, IHMO.

There is already a 1 MW solar power plant in Cagayan de Oro owned by CEPALCO. It can serve that purpose as a pilot project/benchmark for solar energy in the country.

The problem with most of these projects is that it is privately owned and that they don't easily divulge information to the public to determine whether it is really feasible or successful.

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by rapuy

There is already a 1 MW solar power plant in Cagayan de Oro owned by CEPALCO. It can serve that purpose as a pilot project/benchmark for solar energy in the country.

The problem with most of these projects is that it is privately owned and that they don't easily divulge information to the public to determine whether it is really feasible or successful.

We know that if something gets done in the Philippines and is seen as having a big potential, everybody gets hot and follow these leads! Gaya-gaya tayo eh! If the CEPALCO project failed to get the investors' interests, there must be something not desirable in it, IMO.

AFAIK, the CEPALCO Solar power utilization is just about 16% (158 kVA average out of the rated 1MW). If we do the math, the initial cost to generation rating is about $5,300 per kW installed. Comparing with newer coal-fired power which is in the range of $2,000 per kW installed and a utilization of 88%, solar power seems not a good investment for now! Who would like to spend much and get less in return?

[shranethomas]

Dito ko pala dapat naishare yung tungkol sa Marijuana as a source of renewable energy, well ito lang naishare ko sa kabilang thread.

Originally Posted by shranethomas

Gusto ko lang i share itong facts about hemp aka Marijuana. And the reason why we want to keep Spratlys ay dahil sa issue din ng natural resources. A little bit of thought.

FACT

· Deaths per year resulting from alcohol: 100,000
· Deaths per year resulting from tobacco: 430,000
· Deaths per year resulting from aspirin: 180- 1000
· Deaths per year resulting from legal drugs: 106,000
· Deaths that have ever occurred in direct result of Cannabis: 0 (that’s right zero)

FACT

· Farming 6% of the continental U.S. acreage with biomass crops (Hemp) would provide all of America’s Energy needs.
· Biomass can be converted into methane, methanol, or gasoline (which could eliminate our ties with the Middle East) at a cost comparable to petroleum and hemp is much better for the environment.
· Hemp fuel burns clean. Petroleum causes acid rain due to sulfur pollution.
· The use of Hemp Fuel does not contribute to global warming

FACT

· Hemp seed can be pressed into nutritious oil, which contains the highest amount of fatty acids in the plant kingdom. Essential oils are responsible for our immune system responses, and can clear the arteries of cholesterol and plaque.
· The byproduct of pressing the oil from hemp seed is a high quality protein seed cake. It can be used to bake into cakes, breads and casseroles. Hemp seed protein is one of mankind’s finest, most complete, and available-to-the body vegetable proteins.
· A Vegan or vegetarian can get all of the days required protein from a handful of hemp seed.

FACT

· Hemp is the oldest cultivated fiber plant in the world.
· Low-THC fiber hemp varieties developed by the French and others have been available for over 20 years. It is impossible to get high from fiber hemp. Over 600,000 acres of hemp is grown worldwide with no misuse problem.
· One acre of hemp can produce as much usable fiber as 4 acres of trees or two acres of cotton.
· Trees cut down take 50-500 years to grow, while hemp can be cultivated in as little as 100 days and can yield 4 times more paper over a 20 year period.
· Until 1883, from 75-90% of all paper in the world was made with cannabis hemp fiber including that for books, Bibles, maps, paper money, stocks and bonds, newspapers, etc.
· Hemp paper is longer lasting than wood pulp, stronger, acid-free, and chlorine free (Chlorine is estimated to cause up to 10% of all Cancers).
· Hemp paper can be recycled 7 times, wood pulp 4 times.
· Hemp particleboard may be up to 2 times stronger than wood particleboard and holds nails better.
· Hemp is a softer, warmer, and more water absorbent, than cotton and doesn’t stretch out.
· Half of the U.S. pesticides are used to treat cotton, while hemp has a natural pesticide.

FACT

· Almost any product that can be made from wood, cotton, or petroleum (including plastics) can be made from hemp. There are 25,000 known uses for hemp.
· For thousands of years virtually all good paints and varnishes were made with hemp seed oil and/or linseed oil.
· One acre of hemp produces as much cellulose fiber pulp as 4.1 acres of trees, making hemp a perfect material to replace trees for pressed board, particle board, and concrete construction molds.
· Heating and compressing plant fibers can create a practical, inexpensive, fire-resistant constructions material with excellent thermal and sound-insulating qualities.
· In 1941 Henry Ford built a plastic car made of fiber from hemp and wheat straw. Hemp is biodegradable, as synthetic plastic is not.

[shranethomas]

BTW I am trying to build a magneto drive type of generator for our home. I have some of the plans. If it works then I won't be needing to pay Meralco bills hehehehe. And I would love to donate the idea to the Philippine National Railways if this will push through.

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by shranethomas

BTW I am trying to build a magneto drive type of generator for our home. I have some of the plans. If it works then I won't be needing to pay Meralco bills hehehehe. And I would love to donate the idea to the Philippine National Railways if this will push through.

I hope your project gets done soonest as PV will soon be cheaper if solar wafers are done here in our country and can be bought locally! BTW, which mechanical drive are you going to have to turn your DC geny?

[shranethomas]

Originally Posted by Parchie

I hope your project gets done soonest as PV will soon be cheaper if solar wafers are done here in our country and can be bought locally! BTW, which mechanical drive are you going to have to turn your DC geny?

Neodymium magnets, using electromagnets. Search for SP500 in the internet.

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by shranethomas

Neodymium magnets, using electromagnets. Search for SP500 in the internet.

Yeah, I know a lot them magnetic materials. But you still need to have some mechanical force to turn your magnetic field around some wire coils to generate voltage.

Are you unto some perpetual motion machine? Sorry to burst bubbles here but it ain't gonna work, if that's the case. Nothing in this world produces electric power without using some other forms of energy and convert them into electricity!

[absinthe_888]

Originally Posted by shranethomas

BTW I am trying to build a magneto drive type of generator for our home. I have some of the plans. If it works then I won't be needing to pay Meralco bills hehehehe. And I would love to donate the idea to the Philippine National Railways if this will push through.

Mala Nikolai Tesla ka na pala ah. :ahihihi: este

Dapat pala i-patent mo na yan. Baka mapirata ka pa. Hehehe

[amigo32]

Originally Posted by absinthe_888

Mala Nikolai Tesla ka na pala ah. :ahihihi: este

Dapat pala i-patent mo na yan. Baka mapirata ka pa. Hehehe

imbentor na
naging pirata

[manila_eye]

Originally Posted by rapuy

There is already a 1 MW solar power plant in Cagayan de Oro owned by CEPALCO. It can serve that purpose as a pilot project/benchmark for solar energy in the country.

The problem with most of these projects is that it is privately owned and that they don't easily divulge information to the public to determine whether it is really feasible or successful.

Wind will always be the cheaper than solar not unless the Lopez firm invented a solar wafer that would dramatically convert sunlight into electricity more than the ones that we currently have in the market. Since they are in to manufacturing of that cell, why not push for it even if it is way expensive than the rest of the renewable energy resources.

[shranethomas]

Originally Posted by absinthe_888

Mala Nikolai Tesla ka na pala ah. :ahihihi: este

Dapat pala i-patent mo na yan. Baka mapirata ka pa. Hehehe

Tingnan natin, ahihihi..este.

Nope battery ang nasa isip ko para paganain ito. Pero yung free energy babalik din sa battery kaya paikot-ikot lang to. Tingnan natin wala naman mawawala.