Noy urged to commit to 50% renewable energy by 2020

MANILA, Philippines –  Environmental group Greenpeace yesterday urged President Aquino to take bold steps to make sure that 50 percent of the country’s power requirements would come from renewable energy sources by the year 2020.

Greenpeace representative for Southeast Asia Von Hernandez noted that the Philippine archipelago is susceptible to the harmful effects of climate change.

Renewable energy is harnessed from natural energy sources like wind, water, and the sun. It is more expensive to generate electricity using natural energy sources than using diesel and coal but is also safer for the environment.

Greenpeace yesterday celebrated its 10th anniversary at Harbor Square in Pasay City.                 

Senior deputy executive secretary Amor Amorado, Malacañang’s representative to the event, said the administration is “being ambitious” in meeting the target earlier than 2020, if possible, before Aquino steps down on 2016.  

“We will try very much (to achieve the target earlier than the deadline),” Amorado told The STAR.

He said it would be difficult to just shut down the operations of power plants using coal and diesel because they have contracts with the government.

“Without due process we cannot just shut them down. So, to compete with them we really have to energize the renewable energy program,” he said.                                                     Amorado said one of Aquino’s orders is to consider all the proposals of independent power producers who want to tap renewable energy sources. The government is eyeing the use of military facilities in the north.

“There will be a co-use. If it will not hamper the operations of the military facility, perhaps some of the solar power can be stored in those facilities,” he said.