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Oil & Gas

DOE Visayas promotes use of small LPG cylinders instead of butane canisters

22 April 2019

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Philippines

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Department of Energy Visayas Field Office calls for a more aggressive campaign on the use of certified LPG cylinders instead of the butane canisters.

Jose Rey Maleza, DOE Visayas field office officer-in-charge, told dealers during a recent orientation-briefing about the need to conduct an aggressive marketing strategy to convince the public to use the LPG cylinders instead of LPG-refilled butane canisters.

The dealers who participated in the DOE orientation held last week have applied for standards compliance certification (SCC) so they could sell the LPG cylinders offered by the Philippine Eco-gas Producers Cooperative (PEPC).

Maleza reiterated that butane canisters could not be used as a container for LPG because it could result in combustion and have been identified as the cause of fire.

He cautioned the dealers who have been selling LPG-refilled butane canister from continuing to sell these products since it could mean a fine of at least P20,000 or an imprisonment of up to five years.

According to Maleza, their aggressive campaign against the dealers and LPG refilling stations have resulted in lower supply, driving up the price for an LPG-filled butane canister now sold at more than P20 pesos.

The PEPC LPG cylinders, which are refillable welded stainless steel canisters that could withstand the pressure of LPG, have been certified for sales in the Philippines by the DOE and the Department of Trade and Industry, said PEPC board member Fe Potestas.

Potestas disclosed that the demand for LPG cylinders, that are manufactured in Vietnam, have been growing fast. The customers have to buy the LPG cylinders first just like what they do on their first purchase of the 11-kg LPG containers.

However, the cost of a fully-filled LPG cylinder only cost a few pesos higher than that of the butane canister with the increase in the price due to shortage of supply.

Meanwhile, PEPC chairman Francisco Reyes Jr. said there were around 19 dealers that have acquired SSC to sell the LPG cylinders.

Reyes said around 80 dealers have applied for an SSC so they could be allowed to sell these LPG refilled cylinders.

PEPC has plans to expand this project, which is piloted in Cebu province, other provinces in the Visayas, he added./dcb

Renewables

Aboitiz power projects granted ‘national significance’ status

22 April 2019

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Philippines

The 350-megawatt Alimit hydropower project of SN Aboitiz Power Inc. (SNAP) along with two other renewable energy (RE) ventures have been certified energy projects of national significance (CEPNS) by the Department of Energy.

The two other projects had been the 19.7-megawatt Ilaguen hydropower project of Rio Norte Hydro Corp of Filipino firm Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation; then the 600-megawatt Rizal wind energy project of Alternergy Philippine Holdings Corp.

Projects being certified as EPNS are targeted to benefit from streamlined processes of project approvals – based on the mandate of Executive Order No. 30 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2017.

At the time that the policy was enforced, the Energy Investment Coordinating Council (EICC) headed by the DoE had been the entity approving the EPNS projects and the final certifications are issued with the signature of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi.

Many projects, however, still cannot move as fast on the permitting terrain, hence the certifications just normally serve as “bragging rights” for these project sponsors.

For the Alimit hydropower project, the joint venture of Aboitiz Power Corporation and Norwegian firm SN Power are anticipated to inject as much as US$1.4 billion capital outlay for the combined installations of the blueprinted 100-megawatt Alimit plant; the 10MW Olilicon plant and the 240MW Alimit pumped storage facility.

The final investment decision (FID) by the principals and board of SNAP, however, has yet to be rendered – and the host community consultation and securing the needed project permits have already been lingering for 4-5 years.

For the Ilaguen hydropower venture, project funding will likely range from US$68 million to US$70 million based on the investment rule-of-thumb for such technology development.

And for the Rizal wind project, cost had already been reduced by almost half since the initial development of wind projects in the Philippines in 2014.
The project corporate vehicle Rizal Wind Energy Corporation has yet to give new details though on the planned facility’s financing as well as the viability of its initially targeted 600MW capacity.

Energy Efficiency ,
Renewables

EDC allots P7 B capex for 2019

22 April 2019

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Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) has allocated over P7 billion in capital expenditures (capex) this year to improve the reliability of its geothermal facilities.

The company’s 2019 capex amounts to approximately P7.45 billion, based on a regulatory filing.

About 88.11 percent or P6.56 billion, will finance acquisitions to support the operations and maintenance requirements of the geothermal plants in Leyte, Negros Island, Bacon-Manito and Mt. Apo.

“This amount is mainly for power plant and steamfield reliability improvement in said sites,” it said.

In Leyte, the company owns and operates the 112.5-megawatt (MW) Tongonan, 180-MW Mahanagdong, 125-MW Upper Mahiao and 232.5-MW Malitbog geothermal projects.

EDC also operates the 112.5-MW Palinpinon I, 60-MW Palinpinon II and 49.4-MW Nasulo geothermal facilities in Negros Island.

The Bacon-Manito Geothermal Production in Sorsogon is composed of the 120-MW Bacman I and 20-MW Bacman II.

It also has geothermal power plants in Mindanao which have capacities of 52 MW and 54 MW.

Meanwhile, the balance of the capex or P890 million will be used as investments in First Gen (FG) Hydro, Wind Ilocos Norte Business Unit, Solar Business Unit, Latin America, geothermal, wind and solar expansions, and for the head office.

FG Hydro is a 60 percent-owned subsidiary of EDC and operated the 132-MW Pantabangan-Masiway hydroelectric plants (PAHEP/MAHEP) located in Nueva Ecija.

EDC also operates the 150-MW Burgos Wind Energy Project in Ilocos Norte through subsidiary EDC Burgos Wind Power Corp. (EBWPC) and an 84-MW wind farm in Brgy. Balaoi and Caunayan in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte under EDC Pagudpud Wind Power Corp.

It still has several wind farm expansions and prospects in Burgos and Pasuquin Ilocos Norte; in Matnog and Magdalena, Sorsogon; and in Batad and San Dionisio, Iloilo.

Apart from the existing 6.82 MW Burgos Solar Project in Ilocos Norte and solar rooftop in Gaisano, Iloilo, EDC also has other possible solar projects namely the President Roxas Solar Project in President Roxas, North Cotabato, Kilada – Matalam Solar Project in Matalam, North Cotabato, Bogo Solar Project in Bogo, Cebu and the Iloilo Solar Project in Iloilo City.

EDC also has 15 geothermal contract areas, of which only four are in commercial operations.

Outside the Philippines, the Lopez firm has a joint venture agreement with Canada-based energy company Alterra Power Corp. for geothermal projects in Chile and Peru but these have been put on hold due to challenging economic conditions.

EDC was delisted on the Philippine Stock Exchange Nov. 29, more than a year after parent firm First Gen Corp. entered into an agreement with Philippines Renewable Energy Holdings Corp. to sell up to 31.7 percent of its stake in the subsidiary.

Last year, EDC reported a net income of P9.59 billion, a 20 percent jump from P7.94 billion in the previous year.

Electricity/Power Grid

New China-Laos joint project to power up electricity distribution in Laos’ capital

22 April 2019

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Lao PDR

VIENTIANE, April 22 (Xinhua) — The new 500 kV and 230 kV transmission lines to be installed in Laos’ capital Vientiane, a joint project between Lao and Chinese companies, will ensure more Lao people to have sufficient power, officials here have said.

The new power lines will transmit electricity from hydropower dams for use in Vientiane as well as for sale to other countries, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Monday, quoting managing director of the Lao state-run Electricite du Laos (EDL) Bounoum Syvanpheng as saying.

The project is a collaborative project between EDL and the China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd., a company affiliated to the State Grid Corporation of China.

“When completed, the 500/230 kV transmission line project will further support the nation’s electricity generation. The project will create a sustainable electricity supply for the development of Lao capital Vientiane and increase the capacity of Laos’ electricity grid,” said Yu Jun, general manager of the China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd., the Chinese EPC contractor.

“This project will be a basic and important part of economic development in the south of Laos’ capital Vientiane, and is essential for agriculture, industry, services and other areas,” Minister of Energy and Mines Khammany Inthirath said at a groundbreaking ceremony held in Vientiane last Friday.

There have so far been 61 hydropower plants in operation across the county and another 39 dams are under construction and set for completion in 2020-2021.

When all planned dams are put into operation, about 85 percent will be sold to other countries. Transmission lines and substations have been built to accommodate the additional power supplies.

Coal

Japan’s JBIC signs financing for Van Phong coal station in Vietnam

22 April 2019

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Vietnam

TOKYO, April 22 (Reuters) – A consortium of banks led by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) approved a nearly $2-billion loan for a coal-fired power plant in Vietnam that critics said breached an international agreement on financing the dirtiest fossil fuel.

The state-owned JBIC signed the loan agreement for $1.99 billion with private banks including Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, MUFG Bank, Overseas-Chinese Banking Corp, DBS Bank and the Bank of China, the bank said in a statement late on Friday.

The loan breaches an agreement signed in 2015 by members of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development including Japan to restrict state-backed financing for dirtier coal plants, said Market Forces.

A JBIC spokesman on Monday said “this project is still in line with the transitional arrangements of the OECD guidelines.”

Japanese banks and investors are starting to restrict financing of coal but are still finding ways to support projects.

OCBC and DBS last week announced they would stop financing coal power but would complete existing commitments first, including the Van Phong station, according to media reports.

NGOs including Market Forces and 350.org have in recent weeks taken out full-page advertisements in the Financial Times criticising Japan’s support for coal.

The Van Phong project will be nine times more polluting than the average Japanese coal plant, according to the Market Forces release, which cited an environment and social impact assessment.

Burning coal releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide, one of the gases blamed for global warming.

A landmark United Nations report on climate change said last year that keeping the earth’s temperature rise to a 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) target would require “unprecedented” changes to how society consumes energy, travels and builds.

Coal will account for 53 percent of the power generated in Vietnam by 2030, according to its trade ministry.

Vietnam’s coal imports in the first quarter this year rose 150 percent from a year earlier to 9.4 million tonnes, according to government’s customs data.

Indonesia supplied 40 percent of the coal shipments, while 30 percent came from Australia and the rest from Russia and Malaysia.

Others

Vietnam to Encourage Environmentally Friendly Building Design

22 April 2019

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Vietnam

HO CHI MINH CITY — Consider that buildings can be designed, in relation to the sun, depending on whether occupants want to maximize the amount of natural light their windows let in, or to minimize the heat absorbed by the building.

Or that they can be built with sensors to detect water leaks, thus reducing the chances that water will be wasted from the start.

More and more architecture students across Vietnam are learning these and other concepts as the country rolls out curriculum on environmentally friendly design. The Southeast Asian nation is still an emerging market, so it has time to build the economy on green standards and to avoid some of the inefficient construction mistakes of older industrialized nations. And as construction is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions around the world, Vietnam has the chance to adopt a sustainable approach to the industry that could decrease its exposure to the threats of climate change, which is a key concern for the tropical country.

Emphasis on Green education

“Although there have been several seminars and workshops, there are no well-rounded courses on green building for students in Vietnam,” said Nguyen Cong Thinh, who is the vice director of the science, technology, and environment department at the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction.

But in February his office started working with the Swiss government and the World Bank’s lending agency the International Finance Corporation, bringing exactly these kinds of courses to college campuses. They began with what they call a “training of the trainers,” who learn resource efficiency principles that they can then go on to teach the next generation of builders in Vietnam.

“We are delighted to introduce this course to future architects and engineers in an internationally recognized format that offers a global perspective and a local context,” Thinh said.

For example the participants study ways that structures can be planned to save electricity and water, as well as to be “bioclimatic,” which means that they adapt to the surrounding environment. In the northern capital of Hanoi, it is more useful to firm up insulation and conserve heat to keep people warm in the winter. But in contrast in the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City there are just two seasons — rainy and dry — and not much need to heat buildings. Instead designers can consider how to position southern buildings to take advantage of wind tunnels, which bring natural ventilation in the humid climate, or to soak up sun rays to generate the most solar power possible.

Vietnam is looking for ways to improve efficiency in the construction sector, a key contributor to greenhouse gases.

Environmentally vulnerable

Vietnam counts itself among the top five countries in the world that would be devastated if global warming gets even more severe, especially with its 3,000 kilometers of coast along the South China Sea. As it works to implement an action plan under the Paris Climate Change Accord, the country is looking for ways to mitigate the environmental toll of the fast-growing construction industry, which consumes a lot of sand for cement, electricity, and other building supplies. The construction and industrial sectors expanded 8.8 percent in 2018 versus the year earlier, higher than the overall economy’s expansion of 7 percent, according to data from the property developer Jones Lang Lasalle Vietnam.

Other methods that students are learning to increase design efficiency include use of modeling software, so they can experiment with different eco-friendly technologies before any physical construction begins. They are also studying building codes and standards, as well as the types of construction materials that do the least harm to the environment.

“In recent times, we have integrated green building into the curriculum of nearly all faculties. However, this course will further help students to become familiar with green building modeling software and present ideas clearly and quantitatively to future clients,” said Dr. Le Van Thuong, who is the rector of the University of Architecture in Ho Chi Minh City.

There are other ideas to improve efficiency whether at the office, the factory, or the home. Increasingly people are installing dual flush toilets, which allow users to choose how much water is dispensed at a time, and shower systems that warm up water before it is released, so they don’t have to let water go to waste as it heats up. And you don’t have to be an architect to add these technologies to a building.

Renewables

Q&A with Jinko Solar

22 April 2019

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Cambodia

Cambodia presents the ideal conditions for a prosperous solar sector, including plenty of daylight hours, increasing levels of energy consumption due to rising living standards and a lack of cheap energy options.

Khmer Times’ May Kunmakara sits down with Warren Lee, business development manager for Southeast Asia at Jinko Solar, a firm based in Shanghai. They discuss the company’s investment plans in the Kingdom’s nascent solar energy market.

KT: Why should people invest in Cambodia’s solar energy sector?

Mr Lee: I think Cambodia has great potential in the solar energy sector. In addition to excellent solar irradiation, local electricity demand is still increasing while the cost of electricity is relatively high due to a reliance on imported coal.

The current share of solar energy in the market is so tiny it is almost non-existent. However, there has been a dramatic drop in the cost of setting up solar installations. This, coupled with improved capacity in the managing grid and innovations in financing, has led us to a point in which the government is aware of the opportunities here – aware that there are a lot of opportunities for what they would call a ‘win-win’ strategy.

With the government’s support, we can experience high growth, make a contribution to energy transition, and keep lowering prices so that we can move towards a more environmentally friendly system.

The Cambodian government is cautiously weighing all its options, but it is determined to give access to power to all Cambodians, preferably ‘on grid’, in the near future. The government is very determined to seize opportunities in the sector to promote inclusive growth.

KT: The Asian Development Bank plans to spend more than $100 million to build a solar park in Cambodia. What do you think about this project?

Mr Lee: This project will help Cambodia bring clean, affordable, and locally-sourced power to meet its growing energy needs. ADB will also be advising on the structuring of a national solar park programme and a competitive process of procuring power, including developing a feasibility study, a bankable public-private partnership (PPP) model, and organising a competitive tender process to select a suitable private sector sponsor for power generation. Moreover, ADB will provide climate financing.

All this will serve as an example for solar PPPs in Cambodia and in other parts of Southeast Asia.

KT: High electricity costs is one of the main barriers to attracting foreign direct investment in Cambodia. What can be done to reduce electricity costs?

Mr Lee: Grid parity has become the norm across the world, especially in regions blessed with abundant solar resource and heavy reliance on imported coal or gas to generate electricity. So solar investments in Cambodia are very promising and have the potential to bring down electricity costs.

KT: Since last month, the country has been experiencing power cuts. The government says the energy shortage is the result of having high temperatures and little rain, which means hydropower dams are not able to generate as much energy as it is required. Do you think solar energy investments could reduce the chance that this happens again in the future?

Mr Lee: Yes, I do believe solar could be the solution. Like wind, water is a seasonable resource. In summer, when demand for electricity is at its peak, resources like wind or water tend to be at its lowest point. Compared to water or wind, however, solar energy is more consistent, stable and reliable.

KT: What plans does your company have for Cambodia?

Mr Lee: Jinko Solar, as the world largest solar module supplier, will be actively engaged in providing high quality and efficient solar products as well as premium pre and after sales service.

KT: Do you have plans to promote the use of solar energy in the industrial sector, particularly in garments?

Mr Lee: Commercial and industrial rooftop installations have been widely adopted across the world. Rooftop installations are an ideal way of generating and consuming power because the time that you generate electricity exactly matches the time that you use it.

Energy Cooperation

Cambodia embraces Belt and Road Initiative

22 April 2019

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Cambodia

President Xi Jinping’s announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 was widely welcomed by many Asian countries. Studies suggest that there is a significant need of infrastructure development across Asia, including Southeast Asia. According to the ADB Report in 2017, Asia needs at least $8.2 trillion in financing infrastructure investment from 2010 to 2020.

Despite BRI’s significance for Asean connectivity and the development of its member states, there are concerns expressed among scholars and policymakers in the region. First, as the economic size and political power of China have expended tremendously relative to its Southeast Asian neighbours, the growing asymmetry alone worries some in the region. On top of that, maritime disputes in the South China Sea between China and some Asean member states have contributed to growing suspicion in the region that a rising China might not be as benign as Beijing has told the rest of the region. Vietnam is quite reluctant to support BRI.

Second, some Asean member states harbour a concern that BRI might be Beijing’s grand strategy to create a ‘core-to-periphery’ structure of connectivity – China as the hub and other countries the spokes of the system – of which smaller countries have to compromise on their interests and foreign policy autonomy. Even worse, there is a growing perception that as China’s economic clout continues to surge in the region, Asean member states might have to conform to China’s demands at the expense of Asean unity and centrality.

Apparently, the Cambodian government has been very enthusiastic about BRI for a number of reasons. Strategically, unlike other governments in Southeast Asia, the rapid rise of China has convinced the Cambodian government that the future of geopolitics and geo-economics of Asia will be Sino-centric. Therefore, Cambodian leaders want their country to be on the right side of history of the 21st century.

With a strong belief in the future of ‘Pax-Sinica’, Cambodia is one of the first states to express its firm support for BRI. In May 2015, the Cambodian National Assembly ratified an investment proposal of $62.3 million to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, making Cambodia one of the 57 founding members of the bank. From a security perspective, Phnom Penh does not consider China a threat but a potential balancing power against foreign political interference and military threats. Chinese top leaders have, in many occasions, expressed Beijing’s commitment to protect Cambodia’s sovereignty and security.

Economically, Cambodian leaders see an important link between BRI and Cambodia’s economic development. In fact, China’s economic engagement has helped Cambodia to spur economic growth and address deficits in infrastructure, such as access to electricity and rural transportation. In the hydro-electricity sector, China has been the biggest source of investment of more than $3.37 billion in seven projects that produce 1,328 Megawatts as of 2016. For Phnom Penh, China’s investment and support in this sector not only addresses the energy need for rapid economic development of Cambodia but also serves its national security. There has been concern among policymakers in Phnom Penh that the electricity supply from Cambodia’s neighbouring countries can be used as a geopolitical tool against the Kingdom’s interests.

Furthermore, China has also played a leading role in Cambodia’s physical infrastructure development. By the end of 2017, China’s assistance has helped Cambodia to complete the construction of more than 1,500km roads was well as seven important bridges.

Obviously, China is the only partner that has had the wherewithal and resources to invest in the $1 billion to $2 billion type of projects. Other foreign investors, including South Korea, the EU and even Japan, are very much private-sector driven and focus on the commercial sectors.

As far as Southeast Asia is concerned, Cambodian leaders sees BRI as a positive development for a strengthened Asean-China relationship. Prime Minister Hun Sen praised BRI for playing a very important role in providing financial support to developing and facilitating regional connectivity and integration as well as promoting regional stability.

Due to Cambodia’s enthusiastic embrace of BRI, there has been criticism that Phnom Penh could be opening itself up to be a victim of Beijing’s check-book diplomacy or Chinese neo-colonialism. Those comments are for the sole purpose of derailing Cambodia’s development and China’s BRI. Therefore, China and Cambodia must prove these comments wrong. The basic truth is that Cambodia’s success will provide a success story for both BRI and China’s vision of a community of a shared future for mankind.

Moreover, BRI’s success story in Cambodia will further promote Cambodia-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which will serve as a role model of the modern relationship between a great power and a small state based on the principles of equal sovereignty, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation.

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