Ping urged to use renewable energy in Yolanda-hit areas

MANILA, Philippines - International environment group Greenpeace on Friday urged former senator Panfilo Lacson to establish sustainable climate-resilient communities in eastern Visayas that were hit by supertyphoon Yolanda.

Greenpeace said that Lacson , who has been appointed to lead the rehabilitation and recovery efforts of the typhoon-affected provinces, should use renewable energies in the communities.

"Because the work ahead is massive, critical decisions will be made for the reconstruction and repair of energy systems in the devastated provinces. And this is where RE can make a difference,"Amalie Obusan, Regional Climate and Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said.

The national government has estimated the cost of damage of the Yolanda devastation at over P35 billion.  Power systems are mostly down with 1,959 transmission facilities partially or fully destroyed.

Greenpeace said that solar panels can make a huge difference to disaster-hit areas, when power lines are down for many days, if not months.

"There would be cost savings for the entire archipelago and the size of the savings would be commensurate to the number of households and businesses whose partial or total energy resilience would make them suffer less in the aftermath of storm-induced black-outs," the group added.

Obusan said a de-centralized energy system, through renewable energy is needed to power communities, especially those living off the main grid.

She said a good example is a small scale solar energy system which has the ability to foster a small-town energy revolution by and for people, families, communities, farms, and small and medium sized businesses. 

A million homes with solar power in the Philippines could raise installed capacity of solar considerably, she noted.

Among the recommendations of Greenpeace for the reconstruction efforts in eastern Visayas include  capacity-building for energy projects by creating partnerships with communities and providing technical assistance, providing micro-credit and consulting for the promotion of off-grid, decentralized RE technologies.

The group also proposes that the government  financially support local entrepreneurs who could either benefit from energy access, or supply their communities with renewable energy services.

Greenpeace said the government should Institute an RE program in schools. 

"With RE-powered multi-media technology, teachers and students will have the opportunity for better teaching and learning conditions," the group said.