Selected Year： 2021
Host Country： Philippines
Project Title：　Tanawon 20MW Flash Geothermal Power Plant Project  
Representative Participant：　Mizuho Toshiba Leasing Company Ltd.
Partner Participant：　Bac Man Geothermal Inc.
（Project Information URL）https://gec.jp/jcm/projects/21pro_phl_02/

Project Outline：

This is a geothermal power generation project by a Japanese company Mizuho-Toshiba Leasing Company Ltd. and a partner company Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. (BGI), which is a subsidiary of Energy Development Corporation(EDC), the Philippines pioneer and the largest vertically integrated geothermal company in the world the Philippines.

In this project, BGI introduces a new 20 MW Flash Geothermal power plant system and new facilities for connection to the grid at Tanawon area of southern part of the Luzon island, providing a reliable power source to fulfill the power demand in the area.

This project promotes fuel diversification to improve safety and supply capacity of energy, which is the strategic direction of the Department of Energy on the Philippines.  The use of renewable and sustainable energy resources to reduce dependence on oil imports, and shifting to advanced clean technology will contribute to the significant reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

【Background of tackling SDGs through JCM Model Project】

EDC experienced a devastating damage by a huge super typhoon HAIYAN (Yolanda) in 2013, and led by its parent company First Philippine Holdings decided to rethink its mission. Thus, they started various activities for SDGs to mitigate the global climate change aiming to realize renewable and decarbonized future.  EDC generates low carbon power to reduce the grid’s emission intensity to let nature to rehabilitate and to protect people’s well-being

EDC key stakeholders are the following five: ①Customers, ②Co-Creators, ③Earth, ④Communities, ⑤Investors.  Without serving the stakeholders properly, the EDC business has potential risks in the financial and material aspects for sustainable growth.

In order to maintain steady growth and steady management of the business while keeping good reputation in the society, fulfilling the social responsibility and holding trust among customers, EDC commits to support to the five pillars of SDGs: Planet, People, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership.

【Specific Activities for SDGs】

(i)Stop illegal logging and deforestation: Illegal logging escalates the decrease of the forest, which will increase the risk of natural disasters such as landslides. EDC provides the loggers alternative ways to make living.  EDC also protects and restore forests in geothermal concessions.  The restored forests now absorb 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year to mitigate climate change.  They also promoted Manito Mangrove Ecotorism and completed the improvement of facilities which allowed the assisted cooperative (ALBAFA) launch and its Manito mangrove River Cruise on September 7, 2023.

(ii)Provide scholarship: EDC provides high-school students living in the communities near the geothermal plant scholarships to enable them to receive college/university education.  The monthly support is 6,000 PHP for supplies, meals and transportation expenses.  Laptop PCs are also provided to assist their study.  They continued support to 70 college scholars from the 64 barangays of Sorsogon city.   Security Bank account enrollment and stipend processing is ongoing.

(iii)Provide vocational training: EDC provides high-school students living in the communities near the geothermal plant vocational training for their immediate livelihood. Every year, about 100 students receive the training, which helps them to obtain stable jobs with higher salaries.  Procurement of materials (tools and consumables) for turnover to Rizal Integrated National School in December 2023 is ongoing.

        Providing higher education opportunities to the local students brings advantages not only to the recipients but also the provider.  The recipients can get higher education, and the provider can get good human resources.  The college/university graduates with this scholarship accumulates over 200, some of them joined the EDC group companies.  Those finished vocational training accumulates over 1000 in ten years.  They are working in the EDC-related jobs or are endorsed to other companies to ensure all are employed.

(iv)Waste Management in the EDC group: Various wastes such as office trash, business machines, small electric appliances, bottles, cans and plastics are strictly separated and reused or recycled.  EDC group is promoting plastic recycling, which is not yet popular in the Philippines. 

【Advantages through SDGs Activities】

The waste management in the workplace changes the mindset of the workers contributing to reduction of waste volume in the workplace. Wastes emit carbon emissions that also cause climate change.