WB stance boosts market for alternative energy

MANILA, Philippines - The new energy strategy adopted by the World Bank and European lending institutions to scale down --- if not stop -- lending to power-generating plants using coal and oil as fuel is enlarging markets for the use of alternative energy sources such as hydro, tidal, wind and solar.

The government and private sectors are engaging in an energy forum, PowerTrends 2013 on Sept. 25-26 at the SMX Convention Center, to discuss directions that can deliver adequate supply of energy on a scale demanded by a Philippine economy growing faster their forecast and integrating with other ASEAN economies by 2015.

Discussions revolve around the energy outlook by assistant director Exconde of the DOE, the impact of an upgraded credit rating as analyzed by BDO Capital and Investment Corp. president Eduardo Francisco and on how to sustain an investor-friendly regulatory environment to be discussed by ERC planning and information services director Villa.

PowerTrends 2013 is the ninth biennial international exhibition and conference on energy trends and power technologies for both traditional and renewable sources on energy.

It is organized by Leverage International in cooperation with the Department of Energy. Interested parties may contact Leverage  at tel 818-6828, 810-1389.  The event website is http://www.leverageinternational.com. Email address is [email protected].

Among the business opportunities to be discussed is “Natural Gas at the Heart of the Philippine Energy Future” by J. Scott Porter of Shell Gas and Energy.

In the session on new technologies to be chaired by TeaM Energy president and CEO Puno, tidal technology will be presented by Peter Gnos of Andritz Hydro GmbH, advance renewable energy technologies by Stephen Lewis of Alstom and Integrating Renewables into Diesel Plants: Hybrid Solution by Steffen Scudlo of Siemens AG.

Elmer Nonnatus Cadano, corporate secretary of PSALM will update potential buyers of government assets with the privatization program.

A panel discussion on Perspectives, The Way Forward is a key feature of the forum.  To be chaired by former energy secretary Francisco Viray, CEO president of Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development, the panellists include Rufino Bomasang, chairman of the Phil. Chamber of Coal Mines, Otto Energy and PhilCarbon Inc., Sebastian Quiniones, managing director of Shell Phils. Exploration and Roger Buendia, first VP for marketing and trading of Aboitiz Power.

Other important issues for doing business in energy will be discussed in the session to be chaired by former energy undersecretary del Callar, among which are the new legislative agenda for upstream petroleum industry by former energy undersecretary Jose Layug Jr.; opportunities in retail competition by Meralco senior VP and head, MPOWER Roberto Almazora and the use of carbon credits to increase cash flow of projects by PhilCarbon director Peter Pembleton.