- Introduction
In a critical evaluation of a nation’s plight in terms of financial stability and global competitiveness, access to electricity and energy resource is one of the identified basic keys to indicate success. However, in a struggling developing country like the Philippines there are remote areas that are not covered by electricity. The failure of the government to supply the population in such areas with electricity has been due to several interrelated factors. One of the major reasons why most remote provinces in the country do not have electricity is because of the absence of infrastructures that would facilitate the conversion of mostly non-renewable energy into power and electricity. Now, assuming that the required infrastructures are already present, a new multitude of problems would typically appear such as the lack of budget, manpower and technology to constantly produce electricity. To position this country among the most productive nations in the world in terms of energy production, the government should acknowledge the issues that are related to energy resources. In fact, the share of crude oil importation on the country’s overall expense is among the highest since crude oil is used to power most, if not all major industries in the country. In lieu with this, the government should consider transforming its current policies about the production and responsible use of energy, especially non-renewable energy. The government must then prepare the country for its transition from using non-renewable to renewable energy.
- The Plight of Renewable Energy in the Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago with 7,107 islands. The geographical structure of the country exposes it to a number of advantages that most experts believe to be renewable energy development-friendly. Large bodies of fresh water surround the country, serving not only as a major source of irrigation but also as a reservoir conducive for the production of hydrothermal energy. In fact, the Philippines has approximately 28 hydroelectric power plants strategically positioned in key locations like the Lanao provinces, Laguna, Isabela and Iligan.
Another geographic advantage of the Philippines is its location along the Pacific Rim. There are several active volcanoes located in scattered areas in the country. Such conditions are optimal for the production of geothermal as well as solar energy. In addition, mountainous terrains surround nearly the entire archipelago. Such terrains also serve as a natural boundary that separates the regions, provinces and towns. These high-altitude areas are perfect spots where windmills and other infrastructures that could convert wind energy to electricity can be built.
Considering these advantages, it would be safe to say that this country is a good candidate in the global quest of renewable energy development, a race wherein even the most developed countries are lagging. Therefore, it is this office’s recommendation to adhere to the proposal to commence the transition towards the use renewable energy to sustain the energy needs of the country in the future, at least by the year 2030.
- The Principal Resource of Renewable Energy in the Philippines
At present, the Philippines has an abundant resource pool that can be tapped to sustain the renewable energy needs of the country. As mentioned earlier, the geographical structure of the country is one of the main reasons why we highly encourage the Philippine government to make significant steps as soon as possible.
The Philippines has over 28 hydroelectric power plants. The archipelagic structure of the country has greatly contributed to its abundance of aquatic resources. In addition, the frequency of rainfall complimented by the amount of rainfall also proves advantageous for maintaining hydroelectric power plants. With the number of hydroelectric power plants in the country, experts claim that the hydroelectric energy production values peaked at 2,518 MW in 2002.
The country’s position is within the Pacific Rim and this has given the country more access to various forms renewable energy. The country has the innate capacity to manufacture geothermal energy because of the presence of the natural heat reservoirs which produces energy directly from the Earth’s crust. Further development of this technology would definitely help ensure the easy transition of energy production and consumption. In 2002, the country has a recorded a peak geothermal supply capacity of 1,931 MW. The Philippines, being a tropical country characterized by long periods of summer or dry season, can also capitalize on the use of solar energy as a major alternative form of energy. This relates to the fact that the country has the capacity to store and maximize the use of solar power, or energy coming from the sun throughout the entire year. The Philippines has no winter and sunlight is abundant all year long.
Finally, the presence of several high altitude spots in the county indicates that it could be a good site where wind energy infrastructures could be developed. This is similar to the existing infrastructures in Ilocos Norte, the first province that initiated the use of windmills to create wind energy. High altitude areas support wind energy production by increasing the amount of wind that would be converted into power.
Considering all these factors, the Philippines’ renewable energy resources include micro-hyrdo, geothermal, solar and wind energies. The country already has the natural resources and strategic advantages that could give it a great head start and would also support the transition towards renewable energy production. The government’s role then is to build the technology and encourage the private sector to invest more time, effort, and resources in harnessing and developing the renewable energy capabilities of the country.
- The Department of Energy’s Recommendation
The escalating price of non-renewable energy and the adverse effects of fuel and crude oil price instability are the main reasons why the department is actively endorsing the creation of a system that is dominantly powered by renewable energy. In lieu with this, the Department of Energy recommends that the following be implemented and taken into consideration:
- Motivate and encourage the private sector to invest in acquiring the latest renewable energy technologies such as the use of supplementary solar panels that generates energy from the sun. Although the initial investment would most likely be expensive, the long-term benefit of this technology could be rewarding, in terms of financial savings and conservation of the environment.
- Provide incentives to commercial establishments and organizations that would use or encourage the use of renewable energy technology in their respective fields. Incentives can be in the form of tax deductions, grants and other government assistance programs.
- Build additional facilities that will improve the country’s renewable energy system. This would help ensure that remote areas will not be left behind.
Given the said recommendations, the Philippines is expected to increase its capacity by at least 100 percent within a twenty year period. This shall ultimately lead to the decrease in energy prices, and provision of more accessible and renewable energy sources.
- Discussion
The transition from non-renewable to renewable energy production is not only intended to make energy accessible, affordable and safe but also to address the deterioration of the environment. In addition to that, almost everyone has been deeply concerned with the depletion of the ozone layer which has caused significant impacts to our environment. Many scientists and environmentalist attribute the ozone layer’s depletion to the man-made destruction of natural habitats and violent extraction of oil and other natural resources. One of the alarming effects of this phenomenon is known as global warming. Global warming is defined as the rise in temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and ocean causing an imbalance in the natural order of the ecosystem . Scientist described this phenomenon using a vivid picture of the glaciers melting as a result of increasing earth temperatures, and the drying of the clod forests.
Analysts say that continuous industrialization and modern lifestyle could cost us the planet. To further expound on this idea, gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide that are produced by man’s progressive activities trap in the heat and light produced by the sun thus, increasing the earth’s temperature. As a result, living organisms including humans, who would not be able to adapt to these changes will perish and die. If we are perhaps to relate it to history, this has could turn out to be the similar fate that prehistoric organisms like the dinosaurs suffered from. Due to the continuously rising temperature, a normal individual may have difficulty adjusting to the changes. In worse cases, severe climatic changes could lead to death.
In addition, greenhouse effect happens when there is the warming of the air as a result of certain gases being trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere . Others would describe this as a process wherein the thermal radiation from the Earth is absorbed by the atmospheric gases and is re-radiated in every direction . Although these gases are capable of absorbing light from the sun, they prevent heat from getting out of the atmosphere. This is almost the same with the process that occurs in the glass walls of a greenhouse, hence the term green house effect. According to these people, the proof that global warming exists is best exemplified by the extinction of the dinosaurs. This was perhaps the first instance wherein the catastrophic effects of global warming have been experienced. In fact, this initially started with the melting of the glaciers as supported by the tectonic plate theory. According to studies, the ice melted because of the heat buildup beneath the earth’s layer. This eventually led the oceans to heat up and rise as well. Recurrence of these phenomena is not entirely impossible. According to geologists, the extra-ordinary heat that we are experiencing perfectly describes the initial stages of a significantly larger phenomenon. This can still intensify. The growing mortality as a result of heat stroke and other disorders related to global warming only shows that our human body is not built to tolerate extremely altered weather conditions. If this situation persists, we may also face our own extinction. Thus, active measures should be initiated and further researches should be conducted to prevent this from happening. However, such advocacies does not come in cheap. Governments from all over the world continues to fund this campaign and even private institutions as well as individuals are chipping in to help find the answers to address this global problem . Since this is not an issue of one country alone, funds and supports should be coming from different sources. This can very well be the reason why critics are scrutinizing its validity and veracity. Researches and campaigns for this big a movement would definitely not involve a few million dollars but trillions of dollars. This is why the participation of the governments down to the individual person is essential to this movement’s success.
Reference
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