In an effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, renewable energy (RE) provider First Gen Corporation announced that it is adding another adaptable technology to its natural gas-fired power plants by allowing the facilities to have clean or carbon-free fuel.
On the sidelines of a recent Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA) forum, Federico R. Lopez, First Gen chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), said that the company is working on upgrading its gas plants so they can operate 100 percent emission-free fuel-like hydrogen.
According to Lopez, the firm is also coordinating with its equipment suppliers to ensure flexibility that would extend the shelf life of the gas plants beyond 2050.
“This early though, we are looking at new technologies and alternative fuels to repower our natural gas plants, consistent with our own commitment to Net Zero by 2050,” he shared.
Lopez did, however, explain that natural gas-fired power plants are vital because of their flexibility and lower carbon emissions.
He stated, “Natural gas has the ability to do two things: it can generate a kilowatt-hour with half the emissions of a coal plant. Secondly, as more and more [REs] come into the grid, [which are] intermittent, you will need to have power plants that can ‘load follow’, [or] that can ramp up and down very quickly. Natural gas can do that; coal cannot.”
The First Gen chief also said that hydrogen production is getting cheaper, which is why they are preparing for the possibility of any cost-competitiveness.
“As it [fallin hydrogen] comes you will be able to do it; so you prepare for it,” he added.
First Gen has also announced that it is planning to develop another gas-fired plant with a 1,200 megawatt (MW) capacity in Batangas. This will be in addition to its four other natural gas-fired power plants, which have a total capacity of 2,017 MW.
“Studies have identified carbon dioxide as one of the greenhouse gases behind adverse climate change, but the Philippines today relies heavily on coal as fuel for many power plants. The Marcos administration now wants to reverse this trend. Coal contains massive amounts of carbon dioxide when burned,” First Gen stated.
According to the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP), the government would want the share of coal reduced from 59.6 percent to 14 percent in 26 years while the share of renewable energy (RE) adjusted from 24.6 percent to 50.7 percent.
These clean energy initiatives can be achieved through geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar energy, which would make them an ideal power plant fuel.
The PEP also stated that there is a need to ensure grid stability and reliability since solar and wind are prone to drastically cut back.
“One of the solutions identified in the PEP calls for the development of natural gas,” First Gen said. “The share of natural gas in the country’s gross generation output would expand from 16 percent in 2022 to 35 percent in 2050.”
Furthermore, natural gas is adaptable which can allow power plants to easily ramp up and down output to match solar and wind power, however, Lopez reiterated that this would only play during the energy transition period.
“[Natural gas-fired plants] are probably the best bet for shepherding this transition. [But] they should not be there forever, and at some point, we should really be able to take them down or utilize fuels, say like hydrogen to be able to power them,” Lopez said.
If the firm gets to establish these plants, Lopez hoped that this would ensure that the plants can run on 100 percent carbon-free fuel in the future.
First Gen reported that the company has the largest portfolio of RE in its power plants with 1,651 MW capacity.