Renewable Energy Summit March 7-8

Seeing so many private cars and lighted shops on our way home, I started to reflect on how much of the present world depends on non-renewable energy sources.

Why can’t we shift to cleaner, renewable sources of energy, I thought, as I remembered not only the unstoppable spiraling oil prices but the unrecoverable damage to Mother Earth caused by so much reliance on non-renewable energy sources.

Upon reaching home, what a happy surprise to receive through email more information about the Renewable Energy Summit scheduled on March 7-8, 2011 at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall, Cebu City with the theme: “Meeting the Challenges of Sustainable Energy Development in Central Visayas” mentioned last week to me by the very active environmental lawyer, Atty. Golly Ramos.

In case you wish to attend and participate, allow me to share with you more about this summit made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Cebu City Government, A2D Project—Research Group for Alternatives to Development, Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center, Philippine Earth Justice Center, SM City Cebu, Foundation for the Philippine Environment, Asia Center for Sustainable Futures, Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development-( RCE)- Cebu, Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya, among others.

The summit hopes to develop mechanisms and infrastructure for enabling a market for renewable energy (RE), to map out resources and potentials for RE development in Central Visayas, and, to formulate an action plan for promoting RE as the best alternative to heavy and unsustainable reliance on fossil fuels for energy needs.

The Renewable Energy Summit is one among many events scheduled for the Cebu Green Economy Series, that wish to address themes such as: 1) clean and alternative energy; 2) green jobs and investments; 3) food security; 4) sustainable transportation; 5) sustainable waste management and resource conservation; 6) eco-friendly built environment and architecture, and 7) livable cities and urban environment, to name a few.

According to the organizers, the summit will bring multi-stakeholders from local government units, civil society and business sectors, to discuss timely important topics within the larger framework of promoting “Green Economy”.

There will also be a two-day exhibition highlighting best practices for the implementation of RE programs in communities, LGUs and NGOs. The organizers would like to welcome companies, banks, financial institutions and other organization that have products and services that advance the development of renewable energy to join the exhibition.

Department of Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri are expected as special guests of this summit. Mayor Mike Rama is expected to give the welcome address while Councilor Nida Cabrera is scheduled to deliver the closing remarks. Registration for this RE Summit will be from 9-10 on March 7. For more details about the summit, please contact 09228463900 / 09154584307 or 2561365.

Aside from an exhibition and a dance performance by Upstage during the first day, very relevant topics related to renewable energy have also been lined up for all interested. Some of these topics for March 7 include: Greening Energy: Removing Roadblocks to Renewables by Prof. Maria Amparo Lourdes Montenegro, Department of Economics, University of San Carlos, Setting the Policy Environment for Renewable Energy: The Renewable Energy Act of 2008 by Assistant Secretary Mariano Marasigan of the Department of Energy, Renewable and Sustainable Biomass Power Generation Impacts for the Visayas by David de Montaigne, CEO, Global Green Power Plc, Renewable Energy and Barangay Electrification by Rene Alburo, Affiliated Renewable Energy Center and Renewable Energy and Climate Change by Mark Dia, Country Representative of Greenpeace SEA-Phil. You may also wish to catch the Film Showing of “ Home” at 6:00-7:00 pm on March 7 at the SM Trade Hall sponsored by the Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development ( RCE-CEBU).

 The second day of the summit (March 8) offers many more interesting topics for all such as the Overview of National Renewable Energy Portfolio by Vicky Lopez, Executive Director, Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya, Community-based Renewable Energy towards Sustainable Grassroots Communities by Engr. Nazario Cacayan, Executive Director, YAMOG, Renewable Energy Development Group Inc.,Public-Private Partnerships on Renewable Energy by Financing Renewable Energy by Elsie Tagupa, Manager, Cebu Lending Center, Land Bank of the Philippines and Clean Energy Technologies: Harnessing the Power of the Sun by Gareth Russell, Marketing Manager, Beyond Building Energy.

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