Name: Kristina Visaya Date: March 22, 2022

Course: BSPE-1C

Science, Technology and Society

Module 8: Environmental Awareness

A. Read the following questions carefully and answer each question briefly.

1). State the provision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution speaks of alternative energy sources.

ARTICLE XII
NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PATRIMONY

Section 2. All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral

oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other

natural resources are owned by the State. With the exception of agricultural lands, all other

natural resources shall not be alienated. The exploration, development, and utilization of natural

resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State. The State may directly

undertake such activities, or it may enter into co-production, joint venture, or production-sharing

agreements with Filipino citizens, or corporations or associations at least sixty per cent of whose

capital is owned by such citizens. Such agreements may be for a period not exceeding

twenty-five years, renewable for not more than twenty-five years, and under such terms and

conditions as may be provided by law. In cases of water rights for irrigation, water supply

fisheries, or industrial uses other than the development of water power, beneficial use may be

the measure and limit of the grant.

The State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and
exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens.
2). Describe the less familiar OTEC as alternative energy sources.

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a process or technology for producing

energy by harnessing the temperature differences (thermal gradients) between ocean surface
waters and deep ocean waters. It makes use of renewable, clean, natural resources. Fossil
fuels are replaced by warm surface seawater and cold water from deep sea to generate
electricity. OTEC plants do not pollute the environment by releasing carbon dioxide emissions or
other polluting substances. Energy from the sun heats the surface water of the ocean.

B. Write an essay about your proposed alternative energy resource that is possible in your
locality. Consider the raw materials needed, area for the structure and cost of establishing your
proposed alternative energy source.

Managing wastes is one of the most concerning problems in our locality. With that, I
would like to propose an alternative source of energy, from wastes to energy. Energy recovery
from waste is the conversion of non-recyclable waste materials into usable heat, electricity, or
fuel through a variety of processes, including combustion, gasification, pyrolization, anaerobic
digestion and landfill gas recovery.

The technology that we would use would be incineration technology, it is complete

combustion of waste (Municipal Solid Waste or Refuse derived fuel) with the recovery of heat to
produce steam that in turn produces power through steam turbines. The flue gasses produced
in the boilers have to be treated by an elaborate air pollution control system. The raw materials
we are going to need are the following: biomass, or biogenic (plant or animal products),
materials such as paper, cardboard, food waste, grass clippings, leaves, and leather,
energy-rich materials such as plastics, yard waste, and products made from wood. The facility
we are going to use is a waste-to-energy plant. Since we already have a wide area in San
Isidro, Naga City, we can make use of that. Waste to energy plant is a facility accepting organic
waste and producing electricity and heat from it. Pyrolysis technology can convert the waste to
high-quality fuel like diesel oil or DME (dimethyl ether). The prevalent number of waste to
energy plants existing in the world are incinerators. They use steam cycles and turbines to
produce the electricity. All modern plants have a sophisticated gas cleaning system conforming
to the strictest air pollution standards. However, the cost of such an alternative energy source
would reach millions of peso. With that, I would like to propose that we create our own material
and plant design. Also, we should find alternative parts, so the plant would be cost-effective.

For the proposal to be successful, we will have to invest on this. Despite the amount it is
demanding, it will be beneficial and useful to us in the future. If not, we should teach ourselves
to conserve the energy that we have now as well as be responsible in managing our wastes,
and practicing the 6Rs, Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair.