ZAMBOANGA CITY: Environmental groups and villagers continue to oppose the proposed coal-fired power plant in Davao City in the southern Philippines, saying that its carbon emission and other hazardous pollutants would affect the ecology and human health.

Aboitiz Power is building a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in the town of Toril, but residents are opposing the plan. Greenpeace has also opposed the building of the fossil fuel plant in the area, citing would-be effects to the environment of carbon emission in the air. The power firm insists that its plant would address the electricity problem.

Davao Light and Power Co., which provides electricity to the city and other areas, is also owned by Aboitiz Power. Last year, it sold 1.583 billion kilowatt-hours to some 294,000 customers with a peak demand of 288 megawatts.

The environmental group Greenpeace has repeatedly called for the full implementation of the Renewable Energy (RE) Law. The law was passed in 2008, but after four years, it is still in the shelf, with decisions on provisions, such as the Feed-In-Tariff rates, delayed by two years.

But it said that the biggest obstacle to the RE Law is the blatant pro-coal stance of the Department of Energy (DOE) then undersecretary Rene Almendras, who in his two years in office, had given the green light to at least 10 coal-fired power projects.

The firms, which were given the go green light to operate coal-fired power plants are Trans Asia in Batangas, SMI Power in Davao del Sur province, Masinloc Power in Zambales province, San Ramon Power (Conal Holdings) in Zamboanga City, GN Power in Bataan, Alsons Consolidated in Sarangani province, San Miguel Corp. in General Santos City, Steag Power-Aboitiz Power-La Filipina in Misamis Oriental province, Palm Concepcion Power in Panay province, and RP Energy in Subic.

Many people in those areas are also strongly opposed to coal-fired power plants. In Zamboanga City, the village chieftain Josephine Pareja is leading a peaceful protest in Talisayan where San Ramon Power is building a 100MW coal-fired power plant.

Greenpeace said that any investment in dirty coal plants means investment and opportunity lost for clean and safe RE systems.

It said that “coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel. From mining through combustion to waste disposal, coal has a dire impact on the environment, human health and the social fabric of communities living near mines, power plants and waste sites.”

“Coal plants are among the major causes of catastrophic climate change. Coal burning also severely damages ecosystems and contaminates water supplies. It emits other greenhouse gases like methane, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, as well as chemicals like arsenic and mercury which can disrupt human mental and physical development,” Greenpeace said.

It said that clean and long-lasting solutions to the country’s energy challenges are already available, just waiting to be tapped. Greenpeace said that the role of the DOE is to catalyze and develop investments in RE, in order to provide a safe, secure and independent energy future for the country.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, in an average year, a typical coal plant (500MW) generates the following amounts of air pollutants:

• 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), an amount equivalent to chopping down 161 million trees. CO2 pollution is the principal human cause of global warming and climate change.

• 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which causes acid rain and forms small airborne particles that can cause lung damage, heart disease and other illnesses.

• 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), equivalent to half a million late-model cars. NOx leads to formation of smog, which inflames lung tissue and increases susceptibility to respiratory illness.

• 500 tons of small airborne particles, which can cause bronchitis, reductions in lung function, increased hospital and emergency room admissions, and premature death.

• 220 tons of hydrocarbons, which contribute to smog formation.

• 720 tons of carbon monoxide, which causes headaches and places additional stress on people with heart disease.

• 170 pounds of mercury. 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury deposited in a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat. Mercury also causes learning disabilities, brain damage and neurological disorders.

• 225 pounds of arsenic, which leads to cancer in one out of 100 people who drink waters, containing 50 parts a billion.

• 114 pounds of lead, four pounds of cadmium, and other toxic heavy metals.

These toxic metals can accumulate in human and animal tissue and cause serious health problems, including mental retardation, developmental disorders and damage to the nervous system.

It said that coal contains minor amounts of the radioactive elements, uranium and thorium. When coal is burnt, the fly ash contains uranium and thorium at up to 10 times their original levels.

And solid waste from a 500MW coal plant contains 120,000 tons of ash and 193,000 tons of coal sludge from the smokestack scrubber. Toxic substances in ash and sludge include arsenic, mercury, chromium and cadmium.