Renewable energy: Key to achieving a low carbon future

MANILA, Philippines - Nowadays, an even warmer summer season may not just be a figment of our imagination – a number of scientists have confirmed that the planet’s temperature is indeed rising as a result of the greenhouse effect. 

What’s more, with its exposure to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, the Philippines is considered among the most vulnerable countries to climate change.

With the situation expected to worsen – brought about by high population growth, an expanding economy and rapid urbanization – environmental experts say now is the opportune time to address global warming since the solutions are readily available.

One of the best ways to mitigate the effects of climate change is the utilization of renewable energy (RE) since it is crucial for the reduction of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

With 28 percent of current total power generation, the Philippines has one of the highest shares of renewable energy in Asia, but the country continues to be dependent on fossil fuels, which supply 72 percent of the nation’s power.

With the demand for energy growing, the Philippines should all the more strengthen its position in tapping and harnessing alternative RE sources.

“The abundance of RE sources in the Philippines only means that the country can someday enjoy a sustainable supply of energy, prevent the nation from locking into CO2-intensive energy supplies, and more importantly, greatly contribute to reducing the negative impacts of climate change without compromising the stability of the country’s energy system,” says director Mario Marasigan of the Renewable Energy Management Bureau.

Organizations such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Department of Energy (DOE) and Climate Change Commission (CCC) have launched efforts to raise awareness and push for the development of RE in the Philippines.

“The GIZ, plus our partners from the government and private sector, are working to educate the public on the importance of shifting to RE. We want people to see how the positive benefits outweigh the challenges of going for green energy,” says Hendrik Meller, GIZ chief advisor on RE.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the most familiar organizations helping Filipinos adapt to climate change and calling for a shift to RE. Similar to what most climate scientists say, WWF has warned that the Earth has already heated up by about  one degree in the last two centuries, with an expected jump of 0.8-degrees from atmospheric heat still stored by the oceans.

According to WWF, beyond  four degrees, up to 30 percent of all known plant and animal species will die – and intense storms, droughts and other climate effects would become nearly unmanageable for less-developed nations.

Its study, Building Momentum for Low Carbon Development, with the Climate Change Commission as its partner government agency, was designed to lay the ground work and improve the capacities of the country to implement long-term climate protection measures. The project is part of the International Climate Initiative – which the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports.

“This study introduces a series of forward-looking plans that integrate development objectives with climate change mitigation strategies,” says WWF Philippines vice-chair and CEO Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan. “It aims to set forth a stage-by-stage pathway whereby the Philippines can eventually transition from an economy that is heavily dependent on fossil-fuels to one that uses 100 percent RE.”

WWF’s 2007 Power Switch! study revealed that the Philippines already has the capacity to develop 1200 MW of geothermal, 2308 MW of sustainable hydro, 235 MW of biomass and 7404 MW of wind power generation capacity by the mid-2020s, raising the share of indigenous renewables in the country’s power mix to 50 percent.

“The best part about RE resource is the fact that it is unlimited and free,” says Meller. “The Philippines, the pearl of the orient sea, even has a great advantage – it hosts an abundant yet untapped resource of RE.”

For example, the country enjoys a sizeable amount of sunshine. In fact, its radiation across the country has a power generation potential of 4.5 to 5.5 kwh per square meter per day. The Philippines also has a great amount of agricultural residue – sugarcane, rice, coconut  and livestock farm residue materials – which can be used for bioenergy

According to the DOE, the country’s existing potential biomass and biogas feedstock supply may generate an equivalent of 360 MW or 1.092 billion liters of diesel equivalent annually.

Recent events have demonstrated the benefits of renewables in terms of adapting to the impacts of climate change, such as severe catastrophes.

As an aftermath of Super Typhoon  Yolanda, the majority of disaster-stricken areas experienced power shortages, which has taken a long time to restore. Had solar energy been harnessed in the area, power could have been brought back faster. RE has also been proven to temper some of the impacts of prolonged and severe drought, as most of its types, such as solar and wind, require less water in producing electricity than fossil fuel.

Admittedly, the road to the full utilization of RE is not easy. In achieving the full potential of RE, the DOE together with the CCC and organizations such as the GIZ and WWF, wish to inform Filipinos and improve their perception on RE to fuel the attainment of the country’s low-carbon goal.