Forum to tackle pros and cons of renewable energy

CEBU, Philippines - Aimed at making the public and multi-faceted stakeholders in the community more aware on the potentials as well as the limitations of different options of renewable energy sources, organizers of the upcoming Renewable Energy Forum gave a bird’s eye view of the event during the recently held 888 News Forum.

The upcoming forum, which will be held at Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug this March 6, highlights the importance of understanding both the limitations and the advantages of alternative sources of energy.

One of the event organizers, Rene Alburo said that among the topics that will be discussed in the forum would include issues on the power shortage, renewable energy potentials, green architecture, hydro- power, solar energy, biomass or waste energy, wave power and other environmental issues such as global warming, waste management and among others.

“Renewable energy offers a lot of potential benefits but it also has its serious limitations as well so we need to understand this to fully make use of the technologies and options that are alternative,” said Alburo.

He said that alternative energy can help address our problems on projected energy shortage as well as the worsening problem on waste and global warming.

Alburo said that alternative energy can be used to lessen the cost and spending on fuel and energy.

He made mention of Tayud Consolacion’s use of biomass system in the thermal applications to make egg trays which has lessened its consumption of 600 liters of diesel fuel.

“We are going to have workshops in the afternoon which can identify where and how to reduce the thirst for power of some establishments,” said Alburo.

Meanwhile, environmental activist and executive director of Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center (FIDEC) Vince Cinches said that the forum will be their venue to enlighten the multi-faceted segment of the community about advocacies that concern the environment and options that they can do to help.

“We are going to invite representatives from local government units, governing boards, civil societies, business sector and people from neighboring provinces so that they can replicate similar efforts and start the ball rolling,” he said.

Cinches added that the forum will also be a platform where they can get commitments from different sectors such as the business and the academe which are one of the major consumers of power.

Among the big firms that confirmed to attend the forum include SM City Cebu, Cebu Holdings and schools like the University of San Carlos, among others. —Rhia de Pablo