By Neil Jerome C. Morales (The Philippine Star) Updated March 20, 2012
12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Texas-based Quantum International Group Inc. plans
to invest more than $2.6 billion on five plasma gasification plants in
the country that can produce as much as 13,000 megawatts (MW) of
electricity, a top company executive said.
Five more plasma gasification plants using industrial waste will be put
up, and this can cut the cost of electricity by 25 percent in five
years, Quantum International president and chief executive Al Johnson said.
He said the benchmark investment will be $250-$300 million for a plasma
plant that can gasify 1,000 metric tons (MT) of garbage, $450 million
for the 2,000-MT plant and $850 million for a 4,000-MT unit.
The plasma technology gasifies materials like coal and industrial waste
at 5,000 to 7,000 degrees Celsius, then converting it to electricity.
For every MT of garbage, Quantum can produce 800 kilowatts up to one MW
of electricity.
Johnson said initially, four plasma plants capable of gasifying 2,000 MT
of garbage per day will be put up in Davao and Surigao del Norte. A
plant with the capacity of gasifying 5,000 MT of garbage per day will be
built in Surigao del Norte.
To date, the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao grids have a peak demand of
7,047 MW, 1,350 MW and 1,256 MW, respectively.
"The only thing that we require is garbage. We need long term contracts
with a minimum of 1,000 MT per day," Johnson said.
Quantum is already in talks with local government units for the garbage
supply.
Johnson said the company also wants to sell electricity at market prices.
Given the amount of power that will be produced by the firm, Johnson
said "in five years, rates in Philippines will drop 25 percent, then two
years more, 50 percent."
This will help local industries to be more competitive as the country's
electricity cost is the highest in Asia, he said.
Johnson said the ports in Surigao del Norte and Bataan can be used to
import garbage for more power production.
The plasma gasification technology was developed by the US military in
the 1960s to get rid of unstable emissions and explosives.
"The nice thing about plasma for non-military purposes is we can get rid
of hazardous and toxic compounds," Johnson said.
Deadly elements in the industrial world include heavy metals,
radioactive wastes, industrial sludge, asbestos and medical waste.
A plasma gasification plant can start commercial operations after 18
months of construction, Johnson said.
To date, Quantum is building a plant in Brunei, Malaysia, Bangladesh and
South Africa.
Johnson said the company will fund, own and operate plasma gasification
plants while allotting five percent of net revenues to host communities.
Quantum International, which is also into construction, low-cost
housing, mining operations, military and police contracts and joint
venture commercial project in the US, is backed by five investment trust
funds.
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