Gatchalian seeks inquiry into PH energy transition plan

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the government's energy transition plan following the Department of Energy's (DOE) move last year banning new coal power plants to accelerate the country's shift to cleaner energy.

The Senate Energy Committee Chairman underscored the importance of the country having a clear energy transition framework to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement which focuses widely on reducing Greenhouse Gases Emissions (GHG) through the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) which aims to reduce the country's GHG by 70% by 2030.

"Until when will the coal moratorium be? How can other technologies fill in the gap left by coal and how do we ensure that power cost will not increase while ensuring continuous supply?" Gatchalian raised, saying that at this point it is uncertain if the moratorium that was issued by the DOE is in the context of a larger energy transition plan and what the higher targets are for Renewable Energy (RE) and alternative fuels within a specific timeframe.

"Investing in renewable energy is the win-win solution for sustained economic growth in the country. We can have cleaner air at a much cheaper price and RE investments can bring in lots of job opportunities especially since many of our kababayans lost their jobs during this pandemic," he added.

Gatchalian took note that the country recorded a 5.4% jump in total GHG emissions from 123.3 million tons of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2018 to 130 million MtCO2e in 2019. As of 2019, the power generator sector has the largest share in total GHG emissions at 53.2% followed by the transport sector at 27.3%. Moreover, the percentage of coal in the power generation mix increased to 54.59% in 2019 from 26.6% in 2009 while RE's share in the power generation mix decreased to 20.79% in 2019 from 32.6% in 2009.

A study by the American credit rating agency Fitch Solutions showed that the Philippines is expected to continue its dependence on coal in the coming years with coal accounting for 59 percent of the country's energy mix by 2029.

"Thus, there's a need to look into the country's energy transition plan, or lack thereof, in aid of legislation, with the end view of developing and ensuring an equitable, secure and sustainable energy transition," Gatchalian said.

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Gatchalian bubusisiin ang 'energy transition' ng gobyerno

Naghain ng resolusyon si Senador Win Gatchalian sa Senado upang busisiin ang energy transition plan ng gobyerno kasunod ng kautusan noong nakaraang taon ng Department of Energy (DOE) na nagbabawal na ng coal power plants sa bansa para bigyang daan ang pagtataguyod ng mas malinis na enerhiya.

Ipinunto ng Senate Energy Committee Chairman ang kahalagahan ng pagbabalangkas ng malinaw na plano sa isyu ng energy transition na kaakibat ng pangakong pagtupad ng bansa sa Paris Agreement na may layong pababain ang Greenhouse Gases Emissions (GHG). Layon ng bansa na pababain ang GHG natin ng 70 porsiyento sa taong 2030.

"Hanggang kailan ang moratorium sa coal? Paano mapupunan ng ibang teknolohiya ang pangangailangan sa enerhiya ng bansa kung tuluyan nang maalis ang coal at paano natin masisiguro na hindi tataas ang presyo ng kuryente habang sinisiguro ang tuloy-tuloy na suplay?" tanong ni Gatchalian. Dagdag niya, hindi malinaw sa puntong ito kung ang coal moratorium ay bahagi ng mas malawakang plano para sa isang energy transition at kung mayroong kabuuang plano para isulong ang Renewable Energy (RE) at iba pang alternatibong mapagkukunan ng suplay ng enerhiya.

Base kasi sa datos, tumaas ang kabuuang GHG sa bansa sa 130 milyong tonelada ng CO2 equivalent o MtCO2e noong 2019 mula 123.3 MtCO2e noong 2018. Ang sektor ng power generator ang may pinakamalaking ambag ng GHG sa bansa na nakapagtala ng 53.2 porsyento at sumund naman ang sektor ng transportasyon na nakapagtala ng 27.3 porsyento. Samantala, tumaas sa 54.59 porsiyento ang ambag ng coal sa power generation mix noong 2019 mula sa 26.6 porsiyento noong 2009. Bumaba naman ang ambag ng RE sa power generation mix. Mula 32.6 porsiyento noong 2009, bumaba ito sa 20.79 porsiyento noong 2019.

"Pihadong win-win solution ang mamuhunan sa RE lalo na kung gusto nating isulong ang paglago ng ekonomiya ng bansa. Magkakaroon na tayo ng mas malinis na hangin sa mas murang halaga, makakapagbigay pa tayo ng trabaho kung makaakit tayo ng mas maraming mamumuhunan sa RE lalo na sa panahon na pandemya kung saan maraming nawalan ng trabaho," ani Gatchalian.

Sa pag-aaral ng American credit rating agency na Fitch Solutions, sinabi nitong patuloy na aasa sa paggamit ng coal ang Pilipinas sa mga susunod na taon at maari pang umabot sa 59 porsyento ang kontribusyon nito sa energy mix ng bansa pagdating ng 2029.

"Kaya kinakailangan nating busisiin ang planong energy transition ng bansa o kung may kakulangan dito para makapagsulong tayo ng batas kung kinakailangan at masiguro ang pagkakaroon ng pantay-pantay, ligtas, at tuloy-tuloy na energy transition," ani Gatchalian.