Turboden S.p.A., a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group Company and global leader in organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology, has announced the successful operation of a 28.9 MWe geothermal power plant at Energy Development Corp.’s (EDC) Palayan Bayan expansion project.
Located at the Bacon-Manito geothermal facility on Luzon Island, this plant marks a significant achievement in the pursuit of sustainable energy production.
Expanding the Existing BacMan Facility
The binary power plant is an extension of the existing 140 MW Bacon-Manito (BacMan) facility.
Successfully synchronized with the Luzon grid in January 2024 and operated by EDC’s wholly owned subsidiary BacMan Geothermal, Inc., the plant is projected to generate 253,000 MWh gross annually and 219,800 MWh net annually.
This is anticipated to reduce the nation’s carbon emissions by an estimated 72,200 tons per year (equivalent to the carbon dioxide [CO2] absorption of a forest area 4.7 times the size of Manila).
Construction and Innovative Technology
Construction of the Palayan binary power plant began in mid-2021.
As the chosen supplier for this groundbreaking project, Turboden has delivered the ORC power plant, which utilizes waste heat from the 120 MW Palayan Bayan 1 flash geothermal power plant to generate electricity without requiring additional steam.
The Philippines: A Geothermal Leader
The Philippines, an archipelago of volcanic islands and the world’s third-largest geothermal producer, is actively promoting renewable energy to meet its growing electricity demand fueled by GDP growth.
With the highest rate of installed capacity development relative to geothermal resources globally, the Philippines stands at the forefront of geothermal advancement.
Turboden’s Perspective and Global Potential
Andrea La Gioia, General Manager of Turboden, expressed pride in partnering with EDC on this significant project, emphasizing its importance in their growth strategy.
The new binary geothermal power unit enhances the power production of the existing Flash Plant at the EDC BacMan facility.
ORC technology excels in such bottoming projects as it doesn’t require additional drilling and can harness all remaining brine waste heat, making it a highly replicable solution in many existing high-enthalpy geothermal plants both in the Philippines and worldwide.
International Recognition and Environmental Impact
In addition to its environmental benefits, the project has garnered international recognition, being selected by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan as one of the FY2020 ‘Bilateral Credit Mechanism (JCM) Funding Support Projects’.
This endorsement not only highlights the project’s contribution to CO2 reduction in the Philippines but also supports Japan’s carbon footprint reduction goals.