The Department of Energy has promised to fasttrack the implementation of Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and the Green Energy Option (GEO).
This after President Rodrigo Duterte commented on the country’s energy situation, particularly its dependence on coal.
“The DOE is encouraged by the President’s comments. Indeed, his leadership will be pivotal for the DOE to implement policies and regulations that ensure the affordability, reliability, security and sustainability of energy in the Philippines for generations to come,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi was quoted in a BusinessMirror report.
RPS mandates distribution utilities (DUs) to allot a portion of renewable energy resources to their energy sources, which will be increased annually.
This will ensure that there will be a market for RE generators.
Meanwhile, GEO will give consumers the power to demand that their energy supply be sourced from a renewable energy source.
In addition, the energy department has plans to establish a Green Energy Rate for 2,000 MW of new RE generation capacity.
Cusi noted that this will not be a feed-in-tariff program. This will instead provide a baseline price for RE generators.
“Indeed, it is important that we continue to develop renewable and indigenous energy sources in order to ensure long-term energy security. However, energy security also requires diversification beyond RE,” Cusi said.
“LNG [liquefied natural gas] and coal-fired power plants are the bridging-fuel we will need as we transition towards more RE. Until then, conventional energy will continue to play a role in energy diversification and security,” he added.
