ENERGY SOURCES

HYDROELECTRIC POWER
• Moving water is a powerful source of energy. The power harnessed from moving bodies of
water is called hydroelectric power. The Philippines make use of two methods in order to
harness power; dam storage or impoundment, and run-of-river. While impoundment makes
use of man-made dams in order to store water, run-of-river relies on flowing bodies of
water like waterfalls. Both methods turn a turbine in order to generate power.
• Hydropower has the ability to generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gasses.
However, it can also cause environmental and social threats, such as damaged wildlife
habitat, harmed water quality, obstructed fish migration, and diminished recreational
benefits of rivers.

GEOTHERMAL POWER
• Geothermal energy comes from the heat beneath the Earth's surface. The geothermal
energy industry in the Philippines is quite a huge one. In fact, it is the largest producer of
geothermal power in all of Asia- Pacific. The country ranks second in the world in terms
of geothermal energy production. Geothermal energy accounts for a major share in the
electricity generating technology for Philippines. There are two methods of extracting
geothermal energy used in the Philippines: the flash steam and the binary cycle.
• Geothermal energy extracted through flash steaming extracts water with a temperature
greater than 182°C using steam pipes. The steam is used to power turbines that generate
energy, while the remaining water is released back into the ground. The binary process
extracts water at a lower temperature than flash steaming. The extracted water is then used
to boil a working liquid with a lower boiling point that will power the turbine. The water
is also released back into the ground.
• Geothermal energy is more environmentally friendly than conventional fuel sources such
as coal and other fossil fuels. In addition, the carbon footprint of a geothermal power plant
is low. The hot reservoirs within the Earth are naturally replenished, making it both
renewable and sustainable. However, the cost of drilling wells to the geothermal reservoir
is very expensive. Add the cost of heating, and cooling system installation and the cost
goes even higher. Underneath the earth's surface, there is a substantial amount of
greenhouse gasses. Harnessing of the heat can potentially lead to the migration of these
gasses to the surface on the earth and pollute the air. Although most research studies suggest
that geothermal reservoirs are permanent, some studies indicate that they can be depleted
if the water is extracted faster that it can replenish itself.

WIND ENERGY
• Like water, moving air also generates energy through wind turbines that supply kinetic
energy through mechanical power. The turbines then power a generator to produce energy.
• The main advantages include an unlimited, free, and renewable resource. In addition, it
doesn't cause air pollution. However, wind energy has a drawback that it is not a constant
energy source. Although wind energy is sustainable and will never run out, the wind isn't
always blowing. This can cause serious problems for wind turbine developers who will
often spend significant time and money investigating whether or not a particular site is
 suitable for the generation of wind power. For a wind turbine to be efficient, the location
where it is built needs to have an adequate supply of wind energy.

BIOMASS
• Biomass energy is similar to fossil fuel in that it is combusted in order to boil water to
produce steam that will drive a generator. Being an agricultural country, the Philippines is
rich in natural resources like bagasse, rice husks, and coconut husks are used instead of
fossil fuel. Biomass energy has been used in various forms long before people really spoke
about energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.
• Biomass energy is also amongst the most versatile alternatives available. It can be
converted into many different fuel sources, each of which has varied applications. Biomass
can be processed to create biodiesel for vehicles, but it can also be used to farm methane
gas and a range of other biofuels.
• While the cost of extracting biomass fuels is lower than most types of fossil fuels, they still
generally exceed those of many other forms of renewable energy. In some cases, biomass
projects are considered not to be worth the price of completion, especially when solar,
water and wind alternatives are available. While biomass fuels are natural, they are also
not as efficient as processed fossil fuels, like petroleum and gasoline. In fact, biodiesel and
comparable biofuels are often combined with small amounts of fossil fuels to make them
more effective.

SOLAR
• Solar energy works by capturing the sun's energy and turning it into electricity. When
photons hit a solar cell, they knock electrons loose from their atoms. If conductors are
attached to the positive and negative sides of a cell, it forms an electrical circuit. When
electrons flow through such a circuit, they generate electricity. Multiple cells make up a
solar panel, and multiple panels (modules) can be wired together to form a solar array. The
more panels deployed the more energy generated.
• The first and foremost advantage of solar energy is that it does not emit any greenhouse
gases. Solar energy is produced by conducting the sun's radiation - a process void of any
smoke, gas, or other chemical by-product. Another advantage of using solar energy is that
beyond initial installation and maintenance, solar energy is free. However, the biggest
disadvantage of solar energy is that it's not constant and it is weather dependent.
• To produce solar electricity there must be sunlight. Beyond daily fluctuations, solar
production decreases when there are less sunlight hours and sun radiation is less intense.
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries,
used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used
at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite
expensive.

TIDAL ENERGY
• Tidal energy is a renewable energy powered by the natural rise and fall of ocean tides and
currents. Some of these technologies include turbines and paddles. Tidal power or tidal
energy is harnessed by converting energy from tides into useful forms of power, mainly
electricity using various methods. Although not yet widely used, tidal energy has the
 potential for future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than the wind and the
sun.
• Tidal power is non-polluting, reliable and predictable. Tidal barrages, undersea tidal
turbines like wind turbines but driven by the sea and a variety of machines harnessing
undersea currents are under development. Unlike wind and waves, tidal currents are
entirely predictable.