MANILA – Not overly relying on one or two specific resources will help countries to be more energy resilient, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Southeast Asia Department principal climate change specialist Toru Kubo said Tuesday.
In a session during the virtual Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2020, Kubo said countries should harness available indigenous supply of energy, particularly renewable energy.
“There’s sufficient indigenous supply of energy and that’s what renewable energy really helps because it is more evenly distributed,” he said.
Kubo said the key challenges in diversifying to renewable energy are capacity and investments in the supply chain.
“Before, the capex (capital expenditure) was higher for renewable energy. But that’s not an issue anymore. There have been so many studies in the past three years how the shift of energy can really be done either cost neutral or with benefits. By 2035, we can change the entire system,” he added.
Kubo cited a study indicating that the United States can shift 90 percent to renewable energy with no incremental cost.
“Less on capex but really on the investments of the supply chains. It’s about making sure that there’s enough source and equipment that can be brought into your market and the community when there are supply disruptions, such as what we’re experiencing now,” he said.
In the same session, University of Melbourne senior research fellow Reihana Mohideen said around 25 million houses in Bangladesh installed solar home systems for their electricity.
“There’s a transition, and there are technologies coming on board. It’s disruptive, but a positive disruption,” Mohideen said. “The challenge is (to) provide regulation, framework, and policy to sustain positive impacts of this positive disruption.”
Department of Energy (DOE) Renewable Energy Management Bureau senior science research specialist Edward Neri also highlighted the Philippine government’s openness in diversification of energy resources.
Neri added the DOE has implemented policy mechanisms to accelerate renewable energy in the country. (PNA)
