Reyes lauds entry of clean coal technology in RP

MANILA, Philippines - The introduction of clean coal technologies in the country will ensure utilization of Philippine coals, the country’s top energy official said.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, in a presentation during the recent Philippine Economic Briefing, said the utilization of the so-called circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) forms part of key investment opportunities in the coal sector.

Reyes said these clean coal technologies would not only boost local coal production but would also ensure security of supply of power in the country with minimal adverse effects on the environment.

To date, the country’s undeveloped coal resources potential is estimated at 2.53 billion metric tons.

Reyes also noted that the 246-megawatt CFBC-run power plant being built by Cebu Energy Development Corp. (CEDC) will play a big role in alleviating power shortage in the Visayas.

CEDC reported that the project is on track, with the first unit to come on stream in March 2010.

Korea Electric Power Corp. (Kepco) and SPC Power are also developing a 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant using CFBC technology in Naga, Cebu.

Another similar plant using CFBC will be constructed by Conal Holdings Corp. of the Alcantara Group in Sarangani.

There are about 1,300 units of CFBC technology operating worldwide. 

Pulverized coal, also known as conventional coal technology, is one of the most widely used power generation technologies worldwide. However, because of the availability of new coal technology, most new coal-fired power plants are already adopting CFBC.

The CFBC uses a unique process to capture the sulfur dioxide gas produced when fuel is burned. In addition to the fuel, fine-grained limestone is fed into the furnace. The limestone reacts with the sulfur dioxide gas to form gypsum, the same material used in wallboard.

CFBC technology has major benefits to the environment. Because a CFBC facility operates at lower temperature than other types of power plants burning solid fuels, nitrogen oxide emissions are lower.

The use of limestone to capture sulfur dioxide, combined with the filters to remove fine particles from the exhaust air, make CFBC one of the cleanest ways to burn waste coal and other solid fuels.

CFBC units have operated with high reliability in the United States and worldwide for more than 20 years.

Aside from the introduction of clean coal technologies, Reyes said other key investment opportunity in the coal sector are the setting up of coal preparation plants to upgrade the quality of Philippine coals and make them acceptable to the current coal users.

He said potential investors in the coal sector could also look into the expansion of the production volumes of higher-rank Philippine coals which can be used with upgrading and/or blending with high-quality imported coal.

Moreso, he said putting up of mine-mouth power plants designed to utilize the abundant low-rank coals that have no alternative markets could also be one of the business opportunities in the coal industry.