Energy roadmap now includes nuclear

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ proposed new energy roadmap, which extends up to 2050, seeks to step up the country’s renewable energy targets and include nuclear energy in the power mix under a clean energy scenario.

The Department of Energy (DOE) conducted its first public consultation on the draft Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2023 to 2050, which will serve as the blueprint that will chart the country’s energy landscape in the next three decades.

The PEP 2023 to 2050 adopts two scenarios, namely the reference scenario and the clean energy scenario.

“The clean energy scenario stands as the primary route to attaining our long term energy commitments and climate goals, while the reference scenario leads the way in realizing the clean energy scenario. To be more specific, the reference scenario builds upon the preceding renewable energy targets,” DOE Undersecretary Giovanni Bacordo said.

“The clean energy scenario supports the entry of additional capacities from nuclear energy along with the retirement of coal facilities based on their technical lifespan as well as repurposing of coal,” Bacordo said.

Under the reference scenario where present development trends and strategies continue, the share of renewable energy in the generation mix is targeted at 35 percent by 2030, and 50 percent by 2050.

A 10 percent penetration rate for electric vehicles (EVs) for road transport is also eyed by 2040.

The current blending schedule for biofuels are likewise maintained, while present efforts for energy efficiency and conservation are sustained.

Meanwhile, the clean energy scenario aims to raise the share of renewable energy in the generation mix to 35 percent by 2030, 50 percent by 2040, and more than 50 percent by 2050.

The clean energy scenario includes two options for offshore wind capacity – a clean energy scenario one with a 19-gigawatt (GW) capacity by 2050, and a clean energy scenario two which has a much higher capacity addition of 50 GW by 2050.

The clean energy scenario, likewise, considers the entry of nuclear energy, in which 1,200 MW of capacity is eyed by 2032, 2,400 MW by 2035, and 4,800 MW by 2050.

“The plan also supports the inclusion of nuclear energy, which if harnessed safely and responsibly, can significantly contribute to diversifying the energy mix,” Bacordo said.

DOE director for energy policy and planning bureau Michael Sinocruz, meanwhile, said coal retirement is also considered under the clear energy scenario.

“Because there will be crowding out. If we’re going to have this target of more than 50 percent renewable energy share, I think there is a need for us to retire some of the coal power plant capacities,” Sinocruz said.

“One of the criteria for the retirement is that the plants have already reached their technical life. Those power plants are considered inefficient in terms of the number of outages among others. These are some of the criteria that we use to consider if these coal power plants should be retired under this clean energy scenario,” he said.

For EVs for road transport, a much higher penetration rate at 50 percent is targeted by 2050 under the clean energy scenario, while biodiesel blending of five percent will start by 2025.

There will also be heightened gains from energy efficiency and conservation with up to 10 percent energy savings on oil products and electricity by 2050.

“The cornerstone of the draft PEP hinges on the increased utilization and accelerated renewable energy development, recognizing the need to reinforce our climate actions and improve energy self sufficiency,” Bacordo said.