MANILA, Philippines - International environmental group Greenpeace on Friday scored Department of Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla's bias against renewable energy by opposing solar power proposals to address the energy shortage in Mindanao.
Petilla earlier said renewable energy projects take longer to build and may be more expensive in the long haul.
"For an energy chief to say that solar-power plants are unsustainable and not readily available is totally false and baseless," said Anna Abad, Climate and Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
"Rather than waste time and money on coal-powered plants to address the supposed power crisis in Mindanao, Secretary Petilla should have a long- term vision in mind, consistent with the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Plan that aims to accelerate development of renewable energy in the country," she added.
Abad said that since the passage of the Renewable Energy Law in 2008, Greenpeace has been advocating for an energy revolution scenario for the Philippines, where a massive shift to Renewable Energy and energy efficiency measures would wean the country away from the rising costs of fossil fuels.
Five years since the law was enacted, she said, coal-fired power plants are still being approved, consequently edging out any opportunity for renewable energy to be harnessed and mainstreamed.
She also noted that of the 48 solar energy contracts now up for review, the DOE has only awarded just one solar energy service contract for pre-development.
In January, Greenpeace released a report that illustrates how renewable energy can generate more jobs and investments in the country.
The Green is Gold report mapped out the country’s vast potential for Renewable Energy and how the Mindanao grid could be renewable energy-powered by as much as 57.16 percent if measures are quickly implemented, rising to as much as 77.34 percent by 2020.
Abad also debunked misconceptions that renewable energy is more expensive than coal.
She said that the true cost of coal – which is not included in the accounting ledger or business cost model of coal proponents – are human illnesses, displaced communities, destroyed livelihoods, mining accidents, acid rain, smog pollution, water scarcity.
"Rather than succumb to fear-mongering based on old, outdated information about renewable energy, it would do Secretary Petilla more good to update himself on the latest realities and technological improvements. He would then realize how solar energy is very much available and naturally abundant in Mindanao," Abad said. - Dennis Carcamo