(Taguig City). The Philippines ranked No. 1 in the World Energy Council’s World Energy Trilemma Index (WETI) 2017 for the third consecutive year for having the best energy environmental sustainability among 125 countries.
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi announced Monday the Philippines’ three-peat in WETI, which ranked countries according to the three criteria: energy security, energy equity and environment sustainability called “trilemma.”
“We welcome the good news that the Philippines for the third straight year landed number one in the World Energy Council’s World Energy Trilemma Index 2017 on environmental sustainability,” Cusi said.
WEC defined environmental sustainability as the holistic achievement of supply- and demand-side energy efficiencies and development of energy supply from renewable and other low-carbon sources.
Energy security is the effective management of primary energy supply from domestic and external sources, reliability of energy infrastructure, and ability of energy providers to meet current and future demand. Energy equity is the accessibility and affordability of energy supply across the population.
“Environmental sustainability, energy security and energy equity form part of the country’s energy development program,” said Cusi.
The DOE’s Renewable Portfolio Standards, which mandates energy distribution utilities to source a minimum portion of their energy from eligible renewable sources, is proof of the national government’s thrust towards energy sustainability.
Soon, the DOE will launch the Green Energy Option Program which will enable consumers the power to choose renewable energy resources as their source of energy.
“The WEC rating on environmental sustainability is also a recognition of the administration’s advocacy encouraging Filipinos to make energy efficiency and conservation a way of life,” Cusi said.
“Our program on Minimum Energy Performance requirement for household appliances continues to help us control the growth of our total energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” added Cusi.
The national government has also endeavored to improve on the energy security and energy equity dimensions of the country as defined in the WETI.
On energy security, the President signed Executive Order No. 30 creating an Energy Investment Coordinating Council that will spearhead and coordinate national government efforts to harmonize, integrate and streamline regulatory processes, requirements and forms relevant to the development of energy investments in the country.
For energy equity, the DOE’s national energy policy is technology-neutral to allow all available technologies to compete in the delivery of secure and affordable power while complying with environmental standards.
Additionally, the DOE, together with its partners, has intensified its nationwide electrification program using renewable energy systems to attain its vision for total electrification by 2022.
The DOE is also under the final stage of issuing an Energy Resiliency Policy that would address challenges in the energy systems after a natural or human-induced disaster and build back better for a sustainable energy system.
“We will continue to develop our indigenous and environmentally friendly sources of energy and make our communities more energy-efficient,” said Cusi. (DOE-PR)
