The province of Albay in Bicol has announced its intention to transition entirely to renewable energy (RE) by 2030. This move is aimed at mitigating power disruptions during severe weather conditions.
Albay Governor Greco Lagman underlined the urgent need to develop RE sources in the province.
“We need reliable sources of electricity that do not worsen our climate. Thankfully, Labay has much potential in renewables like solar, wind, and geothermal which will benefit Albayanons and the provincial economy,” Lagman said.
To further Albay’s commitment to RE transition, Governor Lagman inked a partnership with the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) to work with different communities and establishments to promote and develop RE in and beyond the province.
Lagman shared plans to survey potential locations in the province, including the development of a roadmap for RE projects targeted to benefit the larger community. “We have more than 988 megawatts of untapped RE potential,” said Lagman. “More than enough for Albay’s energy needs.”
Lagman added, “With good planning, legislative and policy measures, this potential will increase tenfold. We are looking at before 2030, making 10 gigawatts of renewables.”
Lagman further emphasized their plans to share these potential energy sources with neighboring provinces to position Albay and the broader Bicol region as a hub for renewable energy in Luzon.
PMCJ’s Luzon Coordinator Erwin Puhawan expressed hopes that this initiative will push local government and national government units to move towards greener energy.
“We’ve seen the effects of climate change and fossil fuel use in different areas,” said Puhawan. “We hope decision makers can follow Albay’s example and adopt a plan to address the climate crisis before their citizens experience the worst.”
PMCJ’s National Coordinator Ian Rivera explained that fossil fuels need to peak by 2025 and be completely phased out by 2030 to keep global warming below 1.5C. “Albay’s commitment to 100% RE before 2030 shows their concern for the people and aligns with the COP28 agreement of tripling renewables by 2030.”
