Lopez-led Energy Development Corporation (EDC) had tapped Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. for the supply of equipment that will power up its 29-megawatt capacity expansion project at its existing Bacon-Manito (BacMan) facility in the Bicol region.
The equipment from Turboden S.p.A, which is based in Lombardy, Italy, will provide complete power generation system for the capacity ramping up of the BacMan plant. Turboden is part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries group and Mitsubishi Power Ltd.
In a statement to the media, the Japanese company indicated that “Mitsubishi Power will provide support through its local resources” for the plant capacity expansion undertaking. The BacMan project is targeted for completion and commercial operation by the end of 2022.
“The power generation system to be provided by Turboden will add new binary cycle geothermal power equipment, whose key component is the company’s proprietary 29MW organic rankine cycle (ORC) system,” Mitsubishi has emphasized.
The project will effectively reinforce the capacity of the flash-type geothermal plant, which currently has a generation capability of 120MW.
As explained, “with the new binary cycle geothermal power generation to derive from the introduction of ORC technology under this project, additional excavation is unnecessary.”
Mitsubishi added “as the brine from the existing geothermal power system can be used to generate power, introducing ORC technology into geothermal power plants, including the many facilities already developed in the Philippines, means that brine previously discharged can be used as an effective heat source, enabling its use as a readily available carbon neutral power source.”
According to the Japanese equipment supplier-firm, “the new system will generate power making effective use of brine, which until now has merely been returned to a reinjection well.”
It expounded that “by replacing power in the power grid now derived from fossil fuels, etc., the new installation will enable reduction of CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions derived from steam power.”
Given that, Mitsubishi indicated the project has been selected “for the financing programme for Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) model projects” for fiscal year 2020, as administered by the Japan Ministry of the Environment and its executing body, the Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC).
The Japanese firm stated that aside from helping curb CO2 emissions in the Philippines, the BacMan project “will contribute to Japan’s attainment of its CO2 reduction target.”
It emphasized that the new binary cycle power generation configuration will potentially “trim CO2 emissions by approximately 72,200 tons per year,” which has been calculated to be equivalent to around 20,000 hectares of forest.
“Mitsubishi Power will dispatch personnel to the site to offer installation guidance and handle domestic transport,” the company said, adding that this will be handled by its local subsidiary MHI Power (Philippines) Plant Services Corporation which is touted to have robust tack record in constructions of geothermal and steam power plants as well as provision of power solutions.