Conservation group, World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF), on Saturday criticized government initiatives on coal-fired power plant, citing that the passage of Philippine Climate Change Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9729) and the Renewable Act of 2008 (RA 9513) should boost the viability of zero-emission energy options.

WWF climate change and energy program director Yeb Saño explained that the government has continued to construct coal-fired power plants nationwide, even if fossil-based sources such as coal plants are the “most prevalent emitter of carbon dioxide.

“Renewable energy sources can provide the same amount of power and the technologies needed to efficiently harness these sources are currently available, and the Renewable Energy Act provides very attractive incentives that boost the viability and profitability of these zero-emission energy options,” Saño said, noting that power generation from coal plants contributes over 35 percent of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Saño noted that among the proposed coal projects is a 200-megawatt (MW) circulating fluidized bed (CFB) powerplant set to be erected in Naga, Cebu. The P5.7-billion ($120 million) plant is a joint-venture of KEPHILCO and Salcon Power Corporation.

In Toledo City, Cebu Energy plans to construct three coal plants with a working capacity of 82-MW each. Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC), a subsidiary of the Global Business Power Corporation, is also building a 164-MW CFB plant worth P19 billion ($400 million) in Barangay Ingore, Iloilo. Another 200-MW CFB plant is set to be erected in the municipality of Maasim in Sarangani province.

The P21.3 billion ($450 million) Southern Mindanao 200-MW project is spearheaded by Conal Holdings, a joint-venture company of Alsons Consolidated Resources and EGCO International, a company based in Thailand. Saño said most of the coal used for Philippine power generation is imported with over 10 million tons of coal shipped into the country annually.

“Among the deleterious effects of burning coal are polluted air, acid rain, aggravated asthma, poisoned aquatic life and the possible exposure to radioactive materials such as uranium and thorium.”

WWF Asia-Pacific energy policy coordinator Rafael Senga said that alternative sources of energy are abundant in the country, such as geothermal and wind energy.

According to the Department of Energy (DoE), the country's renewable energy potential is vast with 4,531 MW from geothermal; 13,097 MW from hydropower, 277 MBFOE from biomass; 5.0-5.1 kWh/m2/day from solar; 76,600 MW from wind and 170,000 MW from oceanic waves.

Senga said power generated from oceanic waves alone is enough to address the power generation needs of the entire nation for decades.