The Department of Energy (DOE) is putting up a draft circular for public scrutiny as to how naturally-occurring hydrogen may be extracted for industrial use in the country.
According to the DOE, the draft should be out at the end of this month.
Global hydrogen output is more cheaply extracted from natural gas, which is why in the Philippines the resource is governed by Presidential Decree 87 issued in 1972 as the Oil Exploration and Development Act.
The proposed DOE circular will “accelerate the exploration, development and utilization of native hydrogen to contribute to the country’s energy security, create jobs and generate wealth.”
Hydrogen production from resources other than natural gas is not only difficult to undertake but expensive as well, which is why the resource is not readily used as fuel.
But the DOE, in an advisory, said its Energy Utilization Management Bureau will lead public consultations on 30 November this year as to how the resource may be regulated or exploited given its potential as co-fired with natural gas, making LNG-fed power plants attractive clean energy service providers.
Earlier this year, the National Power Corp. linked up with the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) in studying the use of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in off-grid areas of the country.
The collaboration aims to promote knowledge transfer, modernization opportunities and the economic rewards of clean and affordable energy.
The joint feasibility study is expected to support the modernization of power generating assets in off-grid areas by exploring the potential replacement of diesel-powered systems with green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
