The First International Exhibition & Conference on Renewable Energy in the Philippines

Philippine Economy & Energy For Sustainable Development:

In 2007, the Philippine economy were predicted to grow at 6.7% but the country eventually pushed it up to 7.3% by the turn of the year with strong investments and increased in activities. IMF has predicted that the economy is expected to grow at 6.5% in 2008. All signs are indicating the Philippine economy is moving towards the right direction and confidence level is high.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, business leaders were positive about the strong Philippine economy and news of the country’s improved credit rating outlook. “Everyone is very positive about the Philippines. The peso is at an all-time high, and the President and her economic team have turned everything around,” Citigroup and Citibank chair William Rhodes told Ms Arroyo.

As more foreign investments are coming into the country, more energy is needed to sustain the economy but with the increase in oil price, importing it is not sustainable. Hence, the Government is determined to wean away the country from its dependence on imported crude oil by developing and investing heavily on the country’s natural sources of energy (which is not vastly tapped) that would include solar, wind, geothermal, natural gas, biofuels and ocean, among others.

The Asian Development Bank has earmarked around $700 M for lending to the Philippines this year to be divided among various sectors including energy, agriculture, health and policy reform. This is sign of confidence in the Philippines’ economic reform and future potential.

Tapping Into The Country’s Vast Natural Resurces – Renewable Energy:

With its vast land, sea, ocean and volcanic zone, there are great potentials to harness the country’s abundant renewable energy sources from geothermal, solar, hydroelectric & ocean, wind and alternative fuel from biomass production.

This exhibition is designed to business match equipment suppliers to project operators & energy companies, potential investors to Government Agencies and state-owned companies, financial institution to investors and technology exchange on RENEWABLE ENERGY in the Philippines.

Statistics & Future Development:

Alternative Energy:

Alternative energy source include biodiesel, fuel cell, ethanol, hydrogen, methanol, natural gas, propane & P-series mainly for transport sector. In Philippine, it is estimated to have the potential of producing 300 MMBFOE by 2010.

With an abundance of coconut residues, sugar bagasse and rice hull to produce biofuel, this would or could be the major future energy source to propel the country to the next level. The country has enough farms producing corn, rice, soybean, cassava, sugarcane, sweet sorghum and coconut use to produce biofuel, except jatropha.

Currently jatropha is in its seeding stage in huge quantity and it will be harvested in few years time indicating the forward planning and determination of the country to nurture, harvest and use alternative energy as one of the energy sources to drive the economy.

The public transport sector has already begun to convert and encourage the use of CNG-driven vehicle. To make the program commercially viable, the country's first-ever CNG mother refueling station was built in Tabangao, Batangas followed by another in Sto.Tomas, Biñan, Laguna along South Luzon Tollway. In the near future, more such stations will be built for the convenience of the private car owners to switch over to AFV cars.

Geothermal Energy:

Philippine is one of the largest producers of geothermal power, only second after USA. Geothermal generation accounted for 22% of the power mix displacing an average of 25 MMBFOE of imported fuel yearly.

To date, the country’s total potential untapped geothermal resources is about 2.6 KMW and plans are on the way to tap half this capacity in the next ten years. And to meet this target, an average of 36 to 40 wells per year needs to be drilled. Great opportunity for investors to tap into this very promising energy sector.

Hydro Energy:

Hydropower generation has the potential to contribute to more than 10% of the power mix displacing an average of 10 MMBFOE of imported fuel yearly.

The country’s total potential untapped hydropower resource is estimated to be 13.1 KMW, of which 85% are more than 10MW each, 14% are between 101 KW to 20MW and balance 1 to 100KW capacity.

Eleven projects totaling 120 MW MHP and HP are being supervising by Government Agency and state-owned company. Several private consortiums are conducting evaluation study on 12 hydroelectric project of 175 MW. There are great potential and opportunity for investors to development and tap in this sector.

Wind Energy:

To tap into this sector, the authority together with a state-owned company has taken a major step to install a 25-MW wind power project in Ilocos Norte supplying about 40% electricity supply to the province’s local power cooperative with the construction of a substation and transmission line system.

Another 180-KW wind-diesel hybrid plant was built in Basco, Batanes consisting of three Vergnet 60-kW wind turbines and two 500-KW diesel generators providing uninterrupted power supply to the area.

Study shown that over 10,000 sq. km of windy land areas could support over 70 KMW of potential installed capacity projecting Philippine to be one of the leading wind energy producers in Southeast Asia.

Solar Energy:

Study shown that the country has an annual potential average of 5.1 KWh/m2/day of total global horizontal solar resource. From 2002 to 2005, over 9,700 households & barangays have electricity provided to them by several solar energy driven systems like Solar PV Systems, Village Power Systems, Multi-purpose Pilot PV-Wind Turbines Hybrid System and Mini-Grid Solar Systems. In next ten to fifteen years, over 10,000 households & barangays will be using household appliances driven by solar energy.