Philippines Explores Alternative Sources of Renewable Energy

Philippines explores alternative sources of renewable energy

Manila, Philippines - August 19, 2005

The Philippines taps into its abundant renewable energy resources such as sun, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy to reduce its dependence on fuel oil.

The country has power plants relying on geothermal and hydropower energy as a major source of electricity in many areas.

In fact, the Philippines is the second largest geothermal energy producer in the world, behind the US.

The country aims to double its renewable energy capacity by 2013, from 30 to 60 percent. To this end, the Philippines' Department of Energy (DOE) set the following goals:

* 1. To be the largest geothermal energy producer in the world

* 2. To be the leading wind energy producer in Southeast Asia

* 3. To install 130-250 MW of biomass, solar, and ocean capacity.

* 4. To become the solar manufacturing export hub of the Association of Southeast

Unlike gas, coal, and other oil-based products which may be depleted, renewable energy is replenished, clean, and sustainable.

Solar power system

At present, the world's largest solar project is the Philippine National Oil Company's (PNOCs) solar home system in Luzon. In the past two years, it has been providing electricity to 2,160 households in the Cordillera, the Visayas, and remote areas in Mindanao. The PNOC's solar home system targets 15,000 households in 2007.

Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, the Philippines' cleanest and greenest city, expects to complete a solar utility project that promises to be larger than PNOcs. Twenty-five thousand solar panels covering 20-hectares of land will be installed to support the city's energy supply.

In Mindanao, at least four solar power projects are in progress.

Wind power

The Philippines has untapped wind resources. Wind-based power is a very practical way of electrifying remote and far-flung areas that are off the power grid.

Studies of the World Wildlife Fund and the University of the Philippines cite 1,038 wind sites in the country with a potential capacity of 7,404