TAGUIG CITY – The Department of Energy (DOE) conducted a three-day virtual public consultation to promote the use of waste as a source of renewable energy (RE) in the country.
Spearheaded by the Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB), the public consultation centered on the proposed draft Department Circular (DC), “Prescribing the Policies and Programs to Further Promote and Enhance the Development of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Facilities in the Philippines.”
The public consultation was held on 3 September 2020 for stakeholders in Luzon, on 6 September in Visayas, and 8 September for Mindanao.
“The purpose of this policy is to promote WTE facilities as baseload renewable energy, provide the relevant definitions and conditions for eligible WTE facilities utilizing municipal solid waste pursuant to the Renewable Energy Act, and prescribe policies and programs to further enhance the involvement of electric power industry participants in the development of WTE facilities,” DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.
The draft circular aims to provide policy support for WTE development, in recognition of its twin socio-economic benefits to local government units (LGUs): improved solid waste management and an additional source of power supply.
During the public consultations, the DOE-REMB sought the views, concerns, and recommendations of concerned stakeholders on the proposed policy.
Energy Undersecretary Emmanuel P. Juaneza, Undersecretary Robert B. Uy, REMB Director Mylene C. Capongcol, and Assistant Director Marissa P. Cerezo, REMB-Biomass Energy Management Division Chief Ruby B. De Guzman, and Supervising SRS Romeo M. Galamgam served as panelists for the three-day activity.
A total of 467 participants (242 for the Luzon-leg, 122 for Visayas, and 103 for Mindanao), including representatives from the electric power industry, LGUs, RE developers, government agencies, the academe, non-governmental organizations, environmental groups, and other energy stakeholders joined in the public consultations.
In his opening message - delivered on behalf of Sec. Cusi - Undersecretary Emmanuel P. Juaneza pointed out that the share of renewable energy in the country has been constantly increasing throughout the years.
“By 2040, it is our goal to increase RE contribution to 35%. As we anticipate the inclusion of more WTE projects, achieving such goal may not be a distant feat,” he said.
In compliance with Section 30 of Republic Act No. 9513, or the “Renewable Energy Act of 2008,” Juaneza said the DOE encourages the adoption of WTE technologies in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Meanwhile, DOE-REMB Mylene C. Capongcol said WTE will contribute to securing additional electricity supply for the country, with the expected participation of industry stakeholders, particularly LGUs and investors or WTE developers.
“We are not encouraging waste generation but what we are promoting is the conversion of waste into energy,” she pointed out.
DOE Undersecretary Robert B. Uy congratulated and thanked everyone for their participation and engagement, saying this could open more avenues in building WTE policies while empowering solid waste management programs of LGUs.
While he admitted that more needs to be done, Uy expressed hopes everyone was inspired to pursue the shared advocacy of finding clean alternative sources of energy, which would also help protect our environment.
Director Capongcol and Assistant Director Cerezo assured the participants that the DOE will incorporate all comments and inputs in crafting the final version of the proposed circular.
The public consultation was conducted with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme-Development for Renewable Energy Applications Mainstreaming and Market Sustainability (UNDP-DREAMS).
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