ASEAN members commit to use
renewable
energy for electricity
Manila, Philippines , Tuesday, 22 June, 2004
Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines , are committing to use less fossil fuel and more renewable energy in generating electricity. This way, the region can reduce its dependence on crude oil for fuel and at the same time promote a cleaner environment.
And in line with their commitment to use clean energy, members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will increase to 10% of total power capacity, or 7,000 megawatts, the share of renewable energy in power generation in the region in the next six years.
Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez, Jr. said the 10 ASEAN members -- Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , Philippines , Singapore , Thailand , and Vietnam -- recently approved this target for 2010.
"The 10 ASEAN members have agreed to a specific target for renewable energy, that at least 10% of the total power capacity of the region within the next six years will be 7,000 megawatts of renewable energy," Mr. Perez said at the sidelines of the country's celebration of the 2004 cogeneration week.
The target was set when energy ministers attended the ASEAN energy meeting in Manila two weeks ago.
Renewable energy comes from hydro, wind or geothermal sources.
For his part, Ambassador Johannes de Kok, head of the delegation of the European Commission in the Philippines , said the country could become a major investment site in the field of renewable energy.
"I think the Philippines is interesting, especially in the area of renewable energy. It is an area we believe can have strong investment opportunities," Mr. de Kok told Business World.
During the ASEAN meeting, energy ministers also agreed to help each other in case of an oil crisis, and in creating an oil stockpile to stabilize the region's fuel supply.
Mr. Perez earlier said unstable energy supplies and abrupt price increases could deter economic growth in Asian countries.
ASEAN ministers also met with their counterparts from Japan , South Korea and China to discuss how to protect the region's oil supply.
China also assured the Philippines that it would find ways to continue supplying coal to state-run National Power Corp. It committed to provide 1.5 million tons of coal per year. At least half of the country's coal comes from China , the largest coal producer in the world.
China also declared to support the Philippines ' compressed natural gas (CNG) program through the export of competitively priced CNG bus engines and chassis.
The government also signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea for the construction of a 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Cebu by the Korean Electric Power Corp.
Both Japan and South Korea , which have oil stockpiles, have offered to help nearby Asian countries with technical support and financial backing.
Under a six-year action plan approved during the ASEAN meeting, its members will tap indigenous energy sources, particularly natural gas, and increase the share of renewable energy up to 10%.
The ministers also approved five projects that would establish power grid interconnection and gas pipeline networks. The International Energy Agency earlier said Asia would consume most of the world's energy by 2030.
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