At the recent “Powering Cebu” The Freeman Business Forum held in Bai Hotel in Mandaue City, Governor Gwen Garcia addressed over a hundred stakeholders from local government and industry.
“Power is a crucial and non-negotiable ingredient to progress,” she said. ““If water is life, as we often heard, or kilay is life…power gives life to the economy. If there is (a) lack of power, then, there is no economic growth to speak of.”
Protecting Cebu’s incredible economic growth was the hot topic at the forum. According to Miguel Belmonte, Philstar Media Group president and chief executive officer, “This could only mean one thing for the energy sector: higher demand. Something I picked up from a forum that Aboitiz Power organized for media professionals in Cebu just last week is that based on Department of Energy estimates, peak demand in Cebu is projected to double by 2032 compared to the present. Fact is, we are really racing against time to support and sustain Cebu’s impressive economic performance.”
There is pressure on the national grid to supply uninterrupted power to the Visayas region, according to the executive. Currently, Metro Cebu consumes half of the power supply in the island.
Energy security
Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan discussed the need to secure the energy supply.
“Sa ngayon…there is no problem with transmission and power supply within the next two years. However, if we want to have a reliable, sufficiently-produced (power), independently for the Visayas, then we have to come up with new generation facility projects,” he said.
“For Visayas to be independently stable yung power supply, we need more generation facilities here. Not necessarily in Cebu but in the Visayas, so long as connected siya (Cebu) sa Visayas grid,” he added.
Daanbantayan solar plant
At the forum, the governor announced the province’s “groundbreaking energy initiative” that aims to boost the energy capacity by 150 megawatts. The groundbreaking project is the solar power plant in Daanbantayan developed in partnership with Acciona Energia, a global energy company.
“The project marks a significant milestone for Cebu, as it takes steps toward securing a cleaner and more sustainable energy future, while simultaneously boosting its energy capacity to support the growing demands of its economy,” Garcia said.
The plant also marks a big step towards renewable energy and lesser reliance on coal. According to Gov. Garcia, the solar plant is a “crucial component of the province’s commitment to environmental sustainability”.
Need for a balanced energy mix
However, while the province is committed to meet the country’s sustainability and climate goals, there is still the issue of energy accessibility.
To address this issue, Paulino emphasized the need for a balance of renewable and traditional sources of energy. A gradual transition using a balanced mix of sources is needed to ensure a reliable and affordable supply of power for everyone.
“What we want to do is really shape an energy system, the power’s progress, while being mindful of the needs and helping attain the fullest potential of people in our businesses,” he said.
Efficiency of delivery
Acciona Energia Country Manager Fermin Alvarez noted the upgraded energy systems in the Philippines, especially in the provinces but stressed that delivery efficiency can still be improved using artificial intelligence.
“There’s a lot of inefficiency in the local grids on how the energy is delivered,” he said.
To address the intermittent nature of renewable sources of energy, Alvarez also emphasized the need to integrate “stable base-load generation with clean, renewable sources to provide consistent supply without compromising sustainability”.
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