The spate of red and yellow Alerts for the Luzon and Visayas grid recently has sparked wider discussions about Cebu and the country's energy situation, and the role of renewable energy not only in sustainability efforts to combat climate change but also in securing sufficient and affordable energy supply. MANILA, Philippines — There has been a lot of discussion lately about the Philippines' energy security.
For wider context, the Clean Energy scenario under the Philippine Energy Plan targets the following mix to be achieved by the year 2040—50% of gross generation to come from renewable energy sources while 26% will be from Liquified Natural Gas , as the widely accepted "transitional fuel." He highlights the province's geographical limitations compared to regions like Ilocos, where wind and hydro resources are more abundant. Co states for example that Cebu being in the center does not have the benefit of strong wind power having been dissipated by surrounding islands. Neither can hydroelectric power be tapped as Cebu is not blessed with waterfalls, said Co.
Cebu's current reliance on coal power plants is driven by their operational cost-effectiveness and role as a stable base load provider, offering the cheapest option even as the coal plants address emissions with investments in carbon capture and storage technology and by leveraging carbon credits.