Philippines takes on challenge of leading renewable energy development in region

SINGAPORE – The Philippines is taking on the challenge of leading the development of renewable energy (RE) in the region, an energy official said.

In an interview on the sidelines of the Clean Energy Expo 2010 here, Department of Energy Undersecretary Loreta Ayson said the Aquino administration faces a daunting task of meeting the challenges of RE development.

“I see the event as a call for the use of clean energy towards energy security and climate change mitigation,” she said, adding that the Philippine RE program is consistent with what the other countries in the region are doing.

“This is well in line with the Philippine Energy Program considering its thrust for the utilization of renewable energy and energy efficiency,” she said.

In fact, she pointed out that the Philippines has been already clear on its RE policies with the passage of the Renewable Energy Act.

“This is evident by the fact that we have passed the renewable energy law ahead of our neighboring countries, as we are now actively pursuing the development of our indigenous energy sour-ces,” she said.

Since the passage of the Renewable Energy Act in 2008, there were about 205 contracts signed by the DOE for new RE projects amounting to P88 billion or equivalent to 4,400 megawatts (MW) of new capacities. Another 382 proposals are now also being evaluated and awaiting DOE approval.

The Philippines is already home to the largest solar panel manufacturing plant in the region. SunPower Philippines Manufacturing Ltd., a unit of the US-based solar technology developer, has a manufacturing plant in Laguna.

Ayson said the government is optimistic all efforts toward RE development would be pursued.

“We undertake concerted efforts towards making energy efficiency and conservation as way of life.”

The DOE official, likewise is encouraging investors to remain steadfast in their efforts to participate in public sector RE projects.

“A strong government intervention and private sector participation have contributed greatly to such endeavors,” she said.

According to studies made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Phi-lippines is among the countries in the region which have been pursuing RE development to the fullest.

In Southeast Asia, ADB noted that the economy-wide cost of climate change for Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam could reach 6.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) annually.

“A list of countries whose agriculture is most vulnearble to climate change reads like a roll call of Asian countries stretching from Thailand to Bhutan to Uzbekistan,” ADB deputy director general for regional and sustainable development department Woochong Um said.

Um noted that the United Nations estimated that by 2030, some 2.7 billion people from Asia and the Pacific will live in urban areas, facing the infrastructure problems induced by climate change whether it is a shortage of clean drinking water or flooding in the streets will clearly affect economic growth and sustainability.

The ADB official had also took note of the actions that emerging economies should take on energy security and climate change.

“The countries in our region have already taken action on both energy security and climate change. The truth is, if you are not already doing clean energy, whether you are a government or from the private sector, you are already being left behind in a competitive government,” Um said. –Donnabelle L. Gatdula (The Philippine Star)