Geothermal Power Plant in Mt. Bulusan

Mt. Bulusan doesn't have any geothermal power plant in its vicinity, but if there was, it would probably be built near the Bulusan Lake. Why there? Because a geothermal system requires heat, permeability, and water, which means that near a lake would be a perfect location for this set up. Some water from the lake would go down to the Earth's crust and would be heated by the Earth's heat. The hot water or steam can be trapped in permeable and porous rocks under a layer of impermeable rock. This natural collection of hot water is called a geothermal reservoir.

Experts already found the area as a good spot for building a geothermal power plant. In fact, the Department of Energy (DOE) already issued a contract with Summa Kumagai Inc. (SKI) on February 19, 2010 to start the geothermal explorations for the said power plant. SKI exploration though was soon greeted with protests from the local church and anti-geothermal groups, interrupting the company from advancing until present.

Geothermal operations’ harmful effects have long since showed up in Tiwi, Albay, Fr. Imperial said. The host communities suffer from the impact of geothermal energy generation on livelihood, particularly on agriculture.

SKI engineers point out that there is nothing to confirm the alleged depletion of water in host communities, yet the same technical people admit geothermal operation requires the utility of water. Geothermal energy generation may cause water shortage in the host area. Ricefields may suffer from drought, which eventually may lead to unforeseen damages to agriculture. The flow of tourists into the connected towns of Bulusan and Irosin for their choices of cold and hot springs may choke as the area may drain of water, Fr. Imperial said. These springs and Bulusan Lake have been frequented by tourist for many years now. When the springs around Bulusan Volcano have been drained and the whale sharks (Butanding) in Donsol have already left Sorsogon, the province will have nothing left for tourists. 

Tourists visiting the Bulusan Lake

"The benefits that may arise from geothermal energy will not match the cost of combined destructions to environment, health, tourism, and livelihood,” the priest said.

“The position of the church is to protect the people and environment,” he said. “Definitely, the church will oppose the move of SKI and Basic Energy to explore, construct plant and operate.”

Until now, no power plant was built on the area or anywhere near Mt. Bulusan.


Sources:
http://geo-energy.org/Basics.aspx
http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=29567

Geothermal Energy

Everything about Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy originates from the earth when it gets heated due to the hot rocks present under it or due to the fission of radioactive materials present inside its core. Some places inside the earth get extremely hot and are thus called hot spots. These hot spots cause water to form steam that gets pressurized to come out of the earth in the form of hot springs, and this generated energy is known as geothermal power.

Why it matters?

The major advantage of tapping geothermal energy is that it reduces emission of greenhouse gases and can lead to a non-polluted environment. This renewable source of energy does not cause any generation or wastage of byproducts and is thus very much environmentally friendly. This type of heat energy can directly be used in various applications, and it is also independent of weather changes. There is no special maintenance required for geothermal plants and they also help in protecting nature. Thus, geothermal energy is a versatile, sustainable and reliable form of power with lower carbon dioxide emissions and minimal environmental impact.

The lowdown

Though geothermal energy is a great plus for the environment, it has some lowdown aspects too. Firstly, there are limited sites that can be the potential sources of geothermal energy. Further, these sites are located away from cities and markets that have the most energy consumption requirements. Also, there is always a need to find such sources that may provide geothermal energy in abundance. If some source does not provide enough energy, the high costs of setting up the geothermal plant for extracting it would not prove to be justified. Additionally, a danger of volcano eruption is present at the source sites.

Interesting facts

There are always some pros and cons associated with each type of energy. But, geothermal energy has some interesting usage aspects too. You would be surprised to know that it involves such low running costs that can save around 80% of costs spent on fossil fuels. There are hardly any plant maintenance, energy purchase or transportation costs involved with the use of geothermal power. It is, in fact, a great source of energy in places that volcanically active, including Iceland and New Zealand. In California, there are more than 30 geothermal power plants already producing over 90% of geothermal electricity in the U.S. By 2025, geothermal energy could be offering the U.S. over 30,000 MW of power.

The alternatives

Since geothermal energy is a sustainable and renewable form of energy, it can easily replace any non-renewable source of energy. The dependence on fossil fuels can be greatly reduced by its use. Also, there is no requirement of any fuels while the geothermal power is extracted. Several countries are adopting geothermal power to reduce their dependence on the constantly diminishing oil resources. Geothermal power also avoids any pollution in the environment as most of the fuel sources create. It is even better than solar energy in the sense that you would not require any major equipment to tap it. The running cost of a geothermal power plant is quite lower than any other power plant.

The bottom line

Thus, geothermal energy can be great future energy source as it keeps the environment clean and healthy. It is a green energy source that produces huge amounts of energy from a single source site. There are several types of economic benefits associated with the use of geothermal power. Its actual output over a period of time can be higher than any other source of energy. Thus, every country should orient itself toward tapping this huge and reliable energy source.

Here is a video about the process of converting geothermal energy

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl-oxDZDfqI
http://www.ecochunk.com/7514/2013/05/20/everything-you-need-to-know-about-geothermal-energy/

Mt. Bulusan's Eruptions

Recent Activities:

March - June, 2006

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) declared Alert Level 1 on March 19, 2006 after it recorded increased seismic unrest. On June 8, 2006, volcanologists raised the Alert Level to 2 (moderate level of seismic unrest) after it spewed ash. On June 9, the resulting ash cloud damaged a number of houses in the nearby town of Casiguran, 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) north of the volcano, and reached Sorsogon City, about 20 kilometers (12 mi) north of Bulusan.

On June 13, 2006, volcanologists said new craters were created by the mild explosions of Mount Bulusan. Aside from the new craters, two of the volcano's four craters appeared to have merged and cracks were observed on the crater on the western side of the summit. Another eruption took place on April 8, 2007.

July – October, 2007

On October 4, 2007, two episodes of ash explosions occurred as recorded by the seismic network. The explosions were not visually observed due to thick clouds covering the volcano's summit. The events were recorded as explosion type-earthquakes at 1:34 AM and 1:39 AM. The seismic network recorded

Mount Bulusan in active mode
on February 2007

40 volcanic earthquakes and 8 short duration harmonic tremors during the previous 24 hours. Ground deformation surveys along the Inlagadian leveling line at the northeast flank indicated a slight inflation of the volcano's edifice. Field investigation conducted showed trace to light ashfalls affecting barangays San Roque, San Rafael, Sitio Tawog of Porog, Porog proper and Bulusan town proper, all in the municipality of Bulusan.Following some signs of volcanic activity, on the morning of July 31, 2007, 9.37 AM (local time), there was a loud explosion described by locals as like a bomb going off. A cloud of steam and ash shot into the air from Mount Bulusan to a height of 5 kilometers (3.1 mi), drifted and deposited over the surrounding countryside. The eruption lasted for 20 minutes.
The October 2007 ash explosions at Bulusan Volcano were preceded by sporadic swarms of small to moderate-sized amplitude earthquakes, which began occurring in the last week of September 2007. Evacuations took place during the July–August episodes of activity.

October, 2010

On November 7, 2010, PHIVOLCS recorded increased seismic activity at Bulusan Volcano, 24 hours after the active volcano spewed a 600-meter (2,000 ft) ash column and grayish steam on November 5, 2010. State volcanologists noted that at least 10 volcanic earthquakes and four explosion-type events have been documented subsequent to the emission of ash and steam at 8 a.m. on Saturday (5 November 2010). PHIVOLCS also noted that steaming activity was characterized by strong emission of white steam column that reached a maximum height of 200 meters above the crater rim. It warned the public not to enter the four-kilometer permanent danger zone from the volcano. People residing near the valleys and streams were also advised to be "extra alert" against sediment-laden stream flows in the event of heavy rains. More ash ejection were reported on November 8–9, 2010 with ash fall on areas in Juban and Irosin towns in Sorsogon province. A PHIVOLCS bulletin on November 9, 2010 stated that eight volcanic earthquakes were recorded from the volcano during the past 24 hours and weak to moderate emission of ash explosion was observed. PHIVOLCS also warned residents near valleys and streams against sediment-laden stream flows in the event of heavy and continuous rainfall.

February, 2011

After months of little activity, the volcano suddenly erupted and sent a plume of ash 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) high, after water reacted with the hot magma. PHIVOLCS has said such explosions are likely to continue for the coming weeks. Initially, hundreds of nearby residents evacuated on their own, but the government has stepped in to evacuate thousands more, and imposed a 4-kilometer (2.5 mi) travel ban around the crater. They also advised airplanes to avoid the immediate perimeter due to ash and debris in the air.

Bulusan Volcano from rice fields of Bulusan

July, 2014

In July 13, 2014, during the 24-hour observation period, the seismic network detected thirteen volcanic earthquakes.

Here is the summary of Mt. Bulusan's eruptions:

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bulusan

http://www.volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=273010

Overview of Mt. Bulusan

Mount Bulusan, or Bulusan Volcano, is the southernmost volcano on Luzon Island in the Republic of the Philippines. It is situated in the province of Sorsogon in the Bicol region, 70 km (43 mi) southeast of Mayon Volcano and approximately 250 km (160 mi) southeast of the Philippine capital of Manila.

Here are its features:

PHYSICAL FEATURES

Elevation:  1.559 km

Base Diameter:  15 km

Type of Volcano:  Stratovolcano formed inside a caldera

Hotsprings:  San Benon Springs, Mapaso Springs, San Vicente Springs, Masacrot Springs

Craters and Fissure:

1. Crater No. 1 or Blackbird Lake - 20 m in diameter and 15 m deep

2. Crater No. 2 - roughly oval in shape, 60 m by 30 m and 15 m deep

3. Crater No. 3 - approximately 90 m in diameter and 20 m deep

4. Crater No. 4 - near the NE rim, opened during the 1981 eruption

Fissure - located below Crater No. 4, measuring 5 to 8 m wide and about 100 m long

Adjacent Volcanic Edifice:  Mt. Homahan, Mt. Binitacan, Mt. Batuan, Mt. Calungalan, Mt. Calaunan, Mt. Tabon-Tabon, Mt.Juban and Mt. Jormajan

GEOLOGICAL FEATURES

Rock Type:  Two-pyroxene andesite in Bulusan, dacite associated with caldera

Tectonic Setting:  Bicol Volcanic Chain

     Date of eruptive deposits:

              a) 1500 - 5800 years based on material from pyroclastic deposits

              b) 30K+  for caldera deposits

Mt. Bulusan's eruption last February 2011

Bulusan is generally known for its sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions. It has erupted 15 times since 1885 and is considered as the 4th most active volcano in the Philippines after Mayon, Taal, and Kanlaon.


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bulusan
http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/html/update_VMEPD/Volcano/VolcanoList/bulusan.htm

Welcome!

Welcome everyone! This site is all about Mt. Bulusan, one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines.