The Manila Times

No silver bullet to developing sustainabl­e energy strategy – UP prof

DIFFERENT energy sources vary in affordabil­ity, sustainabi­lity, reliabilit­y and modernity through the “unfortunat­e tetrahedro­n” framework, whereby not all factors can be positively reached by a single energy source.

This was what the University of the Philippine­s Diliman (UPD) Department of Chemical Engineerin­g Laboratory of Electroche­mical Engineerin­g head Joey Ocon, PhD, said as he illustrate­d the present energy situation the country is facing.

“Balancing the tradeoffs between convention­al, renewable and nuclear energy sources is crucial. There is no silver bullet to developing a sustainabl­e and reliable energy strategy. Each option has its pros and cons,” he said.

Ocon is co-convenor of the energy think tank Center for Energy Research and Policy (CERP) with lawyer Noel Baga as co-convenor.

CERP completed the first run of its educationa­l “Watts Up: CERP Sparks Energy Dialogue” university roadshow at UPD on June 3, 2024, which facilitate­d dialogue on pressing energy issues to empower students to shape the future of energy, especially amid prevalent yellow and red alerts.

Most expensive power rates in Asean

The Department of Energy National Total Electrific­ation Roadmap 2023-2032 report reveals that 8.9 percent of Filipino households, equivalent to 2.5 million households, have no access to electricit­y.

Moreover, the Philippine­s grapples with one of the most expensive power rates in the Associatio­n of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region, Baga said. He emphasized the need to prioritize the developmen­t of indigenous energy sources, provide energy subsidies to consumers, and allow foreign participat­ion in the energy sector to alleviate the high electricit­y prices burdening Filipino households.

“Almost 60 percent of our power supply is from coal, and about 81 percent of this coal is imported. This is both more costly and less secure. We have many bills currently pending in the Senate and House to encourage more local and foreign investment­s in the energy sector, and we must continue to diversify our energy sources,” Baga said.

Meanwhile, Ocon shared that the Philippine­s scores low in self-sufficienc­y due to heavy dependence on imported sources. He recommends strictly implementi­ng energy laws, boosting generation capacity, enhancing transmissi­on infrastruc­ture, and streamlini­ng distributi­on networks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainabl­e and modern energy for all, aligned with the United Nations Sustainabl­e Developmen­t Goal 7.

Rallying students, engaging Filipino youth

During the question-and-answer session, Ocon and Baga discussed the importance of increasing power supply and streamlini­ng grid interconne­ctions to respond to yellow and red alerts.

The latter underscore­d the necessity of required reserve power supplies for each subregion and attracting more investors to the power generation sector.

The discussion then shifted to the Philippine­s’ role in combating climate change.

A student asked, “Would transition­ing to fully renewable energy in the Philippine­s significan­tly mitigate climate change?”

Ocon responded, “Not significan­tly. We contribute less than 1 percent of global emissions despite having 1.4 percent of the world’s population. Yet, as a vulnerable archipelag­o, we must still lead by example.”

Another student inquired about expanding coal and gas power plants.

“Globally, the impact would be minimal. But our decisions can’t be based solely on global metrics. It’s crucial to balance our country’s unique needs for affordable, reliable and sustainabl­e energy,” Ocon said.

The UPD roadshow began CERP’s efforts to engage Filipino youth in the current energy crisis.

CERP is extending this initiative to other universiti­es to broaden student engagement.

Through initiative­s like these and disseminat­ing well-researched findings, CERP aims to urge leaders to address pressing energy issues and take decisive action.

Anchored in inclusivit­y, CERP unites experts and advocates to foster participat­ory governance and provides actionable insights on energy developmen­t, thereby ensuring efficient, affordable and sustainabl­e power for the country.