‘Philippines sitting on $3.9 trillion hydropower potential’

The Philippines holds around $3.9 trillion in hydropower potential, which, according to industry experts, would not only boost electricity supply but also curb worsening floods and enhance farm productivity.

“The estimate is around 650 gigawatts of (untapped potential) because we’re an archipelago and we’re surrounded by water,” said Gertrude Roque, president of the private sector-backed Philhydro Association Inc.

To unlock this vast potential, Roque said the country would need an investment of roughly $5 million to $6 million per megawatt.

“But of course, not all sites are accessible. Road openings, as we call them – especially in mountainous areas – are very difficult, costly and risky,” she said.

While several hydro technologies exist, including run-of-river (ROR), dams and pumped storage hydro (PSH), Gertrude said developing a combination of these would be the “best” approach for the Philippines.

“For dams, we store the water to prevent floods or to irrigate the farms,” Roque said, highlighting the function of dams besides electricity generation.

Large-scale hydro plants often typically require the construction of dams that create reservoirs, allowing water to be stored and released in a controlled way to generate electricity.

ROR facilities are small-scale hydro plants that rely on the flow of the rivers, while PSH can function as an energy storage while also injecting power into the grid to reinforce supply.

“We really need to look into the capacities that we need to build for each type of these hydro projects. We have to balance, plan for it and do a lot of studies and scenario building for that. That’s how flexible, I guess, hydro is,” Roque said.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, meanwhile, described hydropower projects as the “perfect partner” in the country’s transition to cleaner, sustainable energy.

“We rely on hydropower for reliability and stability. It provides the crucial firming capacity and the essential ancillary services required to keep our grid stable 24/7,” Garin said.

Amid the country’s persistent flooding problems, the energy chief also affirmed that hydropower could help drive national resilience and flood control.

“Hydro facilities are critical infrastructure for disaster mitigation. Reservoirs and integrated water management actively control river flows, mitigate flash floods and protect communities during severe weather events,” Garin said.

Currently, hydropower accounts for around eight percent of the country’s energy mix.

Source: Philstar