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Espinoza: Clean coal technology
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SubscribeEVEN before the Korean Electric Power Corp. (Kepco) could finish the construction of its plant in Colon, Naga, Cebu, environmentalists already condemned its operation, which will begin in 2011 yet, as hazardous to health and the environment.
But aren’t they putting the cart before the horse? They may argue that we don’t have to wait before the damage is done, but where is the proof? Have they provided us with alternative power source?
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We are also concerned with our environment. Ecological conservation is not just the job of environment protection advocates but also needs the involvement of all of us.
That Cebu is growing industrially and needs a steady supply of power to keep up with progress and development is a fact. The establishment of another coal-fired power plant in Toledo City attests to this.
I accepted the invitation of Gov. Gwen Garcia to join her delegation to South Korea so I could personally see how a coal-fired power plant using circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFB), also called “clean coal technology,” works.
I was wrong with my notion that a coal-fired power plant is dirty. Korea East-West Power (EWP), a Kepco subsidiary in Donghae, Kangwon, South Korea, is clean. The plant is in an area near the sea.
EWP in Donghae can’t be compared with Salcon’s coal-fired power plant in Naga, Cebu that uses the antiquated technology of pulverized combustion (PC).
Grasses have grown on the reclaimed area filled with coal ash located at the other side of EWP. The fly ash is being sold to a cement factory nearby and is hauled in bulk from the fly ash silo.
I didn’t see thick black smoke coming out of the EWP smoke stack. A Donghae manager was offended when I joked that maybe the power plant was shut off at that time since no smoke was visible.
Lim Bung Cheon said the Donghae 400 megawatt coal-fired plant operates 24 hours day and supplies 12 percent of South Korea’s power needs. Kepco monopolizes power generation and distribution in South Korea.
During the media briefing before the plant tour, officials of EWP proudly told us that the Donghae coal-fired power plant is the world’s best because it has strictly observed environmental laws and standards.
They also briefed us on the other uses of coal ash, like as material for ceramics and fertilizer for farms, among others. They said coal ash does not contain harmful chemicals like arsenic or mercury.
Does competition have something to do with the uproar against Kepco? This is not in defense of Kepco, but I have yet to hear someone raise hell against the coal-fired power plant being built in Toledo City.
We could not help but suspect that Kim Byeongbin, the self-proclaimed environmentalists from South Kore, was hired to prop up the opposition against Kepco’s coal-fired power plant in Naga.
I did not join columnists Anol Mongaya and Ricky Poca and other Capitol officials in their visit to Kepco’s Danjin coal-fired power plant because I had to go home Friday night to attend a Saturday appointment. They were impressed with the Danjin plant.
Kim tried to mislead us but he failed. If Kepco’s Danjin coal-fired power plant violated Korea’s environmental laws and standards, the plant would already have been shut down.
I was told that a domestic power company earlier blocked Kepco’s offer to operate a 400-megawatt coal-fired power plant, forcing Governor Garcia to step in. An agreement was reached but Kepco is allowed to generate only 200 megawatts electricity.
Feedback: Your views and reactions
Very well said about clean
Very well said about clean coal technology in your column. However, clean coal technology has long been available years ago. It has even come to the point that old power stations can be refurbished cost effectively with clean coal technology.
However, one would still wonder why even in North America, a lot of environmentalists are still against it. The reason is because the pollution though not visible from the smokestack is happening elsewhere! The collected fly-ash needed to be dumped somewhere. Yes, the cement plant can use fly ash but it can only take a part of it. The rest needed to be dumped somewhere.
I had the rare opportunity of managing both a coal fired power station and a cement plant before and I know how much it would cost to run a clean operation. If implemented to the hilt, the cost of power will not be that attractive. You do not have to bring this out now. You can keep my comments for now. Wait till the power plants start operating and see for yourself.
The current technology in Cebu is sufficient enough. It is the cost of operating it that does not make compliance feasible. Right now, this is the excuse the current operators are using to justify building new power plants. However, in the future, the same will happen. Once the cost of operation starts biting into the profits, clean coal technology will be thrown out the window and you are back to where the current state of technology is.
If this is happening in the western countries right now, don't you think it is not bound to happen there? Right now, wind farms are sprouting left, right, and center here in North America. It does not need to use gale force wind to turn these wind turbines. The breeze in Cebu is more than enough especially up in the hills. For me, this should be the route to go.
Building new power plants is nice and cost effective for the operators of these power stations. But has the government quantified the cost of these power stations to the environment? Is there an environmental clean-up cost that these operators have to pay.
I was disgusted to watch Secretary Angelo Reyes talking last night on TV (out time here in Canada) saying that the President has given the directive to implement emergency measures to address the brownout issue in the coming months. Brownouts does not happen overnight! It is a result of poor planning over the years and therefore cannot be addressed by just a mere LOI!
Come on, don't add insult to injury! Mr.Espinosa, I have been away for more than nine years now, but I am still a Cebuano and I care. Have a nice day!