Mendi River surveyed for Run-of-River Power Generation System

By HENZY YAKHAM

According to a report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA), there are only 40 years of petroleum reserves left worldwide. The amounts of uranium for the generation of nuclear power will last for another 48 years, while the reserves of natural gas left will last another 61 years. All these 1st-tier energy sources will soon be running out.

Whether the uranium material is used by petroleum, natural gas or nuclear power generation, it will more or less cause pollution to the local environment during refinery or usage. Therefore, the damage caused to the environment will be taken into consideration when seeking the energy sources that will provide for the next-generation so as to enable a new momentum under a presupposition of environmental protection.

In recent times, application of energy and renewable energy has been a major trend for global development. It originated from considerations on oncoming crisis of petrochemical resources used up. This has resulted in greater awareness worldwide of the need for environmental protection, the global warming effect and other severe changes facing the Planet Earth.

Power development plays a key factor in industrial, economic and other forms of development for any nation. Currently, methods of major power generation include thermal power, nuclear, wind power, hydroelectric power and other applications. The cost incurred and impact on the environment are divergent to the survival and economic development.

The Mendi River in the 'resource rich' Southern Highlands Province runs infront of Kibiru Lodge

It is becoming increasingly important that Mankind or Humanity must consider the ecological balance to attain sustainable survival. The generation of thermal power will by all means headed towards an employed method that will not cause damage to the natural environment. In addition to the loss of energy, a trend of alternative energy worldwide will be pure and economical energy-oriented.

With this backdrop, the importance of small-scale hydro-electricity power generation and renewable energy was encouraged by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 and the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

The World Bank and other major financial institutions have listed small-scale hydro-electric power generation as one of the investment items of renewable energy.
Papua New Guinea has signed and ratified both the United Nations Climate Change Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.

Whilst PNG national strategies are pursued, in the Southern Highlands province, survey work has started in the Imbongu district to harness river currents to produce electricity power with plans to linking with existing PNG Power Limited supply.

An initiative of Imbongu MP Francis Awesa, the project proposes to introduce the award winning invention of Taiwan, known as the L.C.S. Hydroelectric Power Generation System for power generation in that district.

This is a new electric power generating concept invented in Taiwan and is not like the conventional hydro power schemes in which water is collected in dams and piped downhill to turn turbines generating electric power.

Last weekend (Sept 4-5 2009,) two Taiwanese officials, promoters of this innovative concept travelled into Mendi making on-the-spot inspections of potential project sites collecting data including river-water levels, speed of river currents, depth of rivers and width of river banks.
The data will help engineers and the inventor of the L.C.S. hydroelectric Power Generation System to determine the design, type and specifications of suitable systems to be built.

Once all the necessary data is compiled together with the technical details and costing, the information would provide the basis for discussions with relevant National and Southern Highlands Provincial Government agencies as well as PNG Power Limited how best the project should proceed.

Mr Awesa proposes for such projects to be undertaken by the provincial government and local authorities under clearly specified arrangements so that things are done properly for continued sustainability of the project.

"Such projects are not only environmental friendly, but clean and sustainable energy as well as cost saving in the long run. Once you have the first lot of stations up and running paying off the initial capital cost, more could be built in other parts of Imbongu, Southern Highlands and PNG. It can be replicated PNG-wide providing reliable and constant supply of electricity power all year round," he said.

The L.C.S. Hydroelectric Power Generation System uses the momentum of river-water speed to push the impulse turbine installed on the river bed to enable a power generation of generators through the transmission of the gear box.

L.C.S. high/low drop small scale hydroelectric power generation has won recognition from more than 162 countries including the European Union, United States, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Taiwan.

L.C.S. was named after Mr Liu Zheng-Shi, who has been elected as one of Taiwan’s 10 outstanding young persons in 1989, winner of the 6th Taiwan Invention Award and the Taiwan Invention Exhibition in 1997.

The advantages of L.C.S. Hydroelectric Power Generation System include: No water or environmental pollution; Low water head with minor water environment limitation; No impact on ecology and conform to environment co-existence; Low building cost, substantial amount of generation and high economic effect; Can be directly connected to parallel power PNG power or other; Requires no dam and water supply suspension, convenient construction; Have educational training schools, without a worry for technology succession; Noise-free and will not hinder the water flow of the river banks; and Simple facility and can be produced to local specifications; This equipment will help drive a concept of green renewable energy, mainly because the hydroelectric power generation causes no impact on river banks and covers purposes of environmental protection and sustainable use of water resources.

As well, it becomes an important part of green technology development applications and renewable energy. For better understanding , the following is a comparison of various power generation methods: Thermal Power Coal: Energy-dependent with a worry of resources used up in the future and causes damage to the environment with a coal production of around 200 years.

Thermal Power Petroleum: Burning petrochemical fuel generates CO2, sulphur dioxide smoke, dust and other pollution. Non-renewable once reserves run out with petroleum production lasting for just over 50 years.

Thermal Power Gas: Energy-dependent and releases waste gas, dust, and pollutes the air quality when it burns. Relying on imports, with a production of natural gas that will last for another 60 years. Nuclear Power: Radiation of nuclear waste is harmful to the human body and generates High/low scale wastes with radioactivity , in which heat pollution causes more severe effect with reserves left for 48 years.

Hydroelectric Power: Hydroelectric power is the cleanest power generation method without causing environmental pollution. Has a low cost and can be a sightseeing area of or cropland irrigation with a flood prevention function. However, the scale of investment is too bulky for the operation of normal companies.

Wind Power: Wing power generation doesn’t require fuel. There are no waste issues and causes no radiation or environmental pollution of CO2. However, the quality of wind power is less steady and requires energy savings when the wind stops blowing if it goes without support of other power generation resources.

Solar Power: Re-use of natural resources re-use, low pollution, but fails to generate bulky power supply with low power conversion for the time being. Run-of-River Power: Re-use of natural resources, low pollution, high performance and high economic value.

Given the above facts, the L.C.S. Hydroelectric Power Generation System being promoted by Mr Awesa for his electorate could well be the answer to PNG’s chronic power blackouts problems in the main urban centres and well as the long and much talked about rural electrification.

With the abundance of rivers and waterways PNG-wide, this concept can be adopted and work well for PNG. With the power generation impulse turbines, it can be scenic and favourable for recreation and tourism as well as promoting businesses and rural industries in many rural areas of PNG, where the majority of the people live. Just as Holland is famous for windmills, Papua New Guinea can also be world famous with Run-Off- River Power.

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