Musings in New York

During my trip here in New York, I picked up new and valuable lessons to take home with me. While the American city still has the same old charm, it cannot be denied that New York has become drastically advanced in many aspects over other cities, including in the field of energy.

As someone who has worked for decades in the Philippine energy industry, I find it second nature to be interested in the energy profile of the different places I travel to.

After all, the worsening impact of climate change has imposed upon all countries the need to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy sources for sustainable energy security.

This is a well-recognized priority of the Philippine government with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. himself emphasizing the need for energy security as one of the key agenda of his administration.

During this trip, I realized that New York’s diverse energy profile can be a model for countries like the Philippines to achieve a more sustainable energy future.

New York has heavily relied on natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear energy to power the city over the last decade, according to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA).

These energy sources have provided the city with an effective mix for decarbonization and provided the state with a pragmatic approach to reducing carbon emissions without sacrificing economic stability and development.

New York, after all, has maintained its position as the premier financial hub of the US.

Data from the US EIA shows that energy-related carbon dioxide emissions of New York have been consistently lower than other American states—highlighting the effectiveness of its balanced and diverse energy supply mix.

To support its clean energy transition, New York law requires 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-free electricity from both renewable sources and nuclear energy by 2040.

The state has long laid down plans to achieve this target—with natural gas and nuclear energy playing key roles in this significant shift.

Natural gas, for example, has emerged as a key fuel in the transition from coal to cleaner, renewable energy sources. By providing the city with a cleaner fuel option, natural gas has helped drastically reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions of New York.

Nuclear energy on the other hand powers around 21 percent of New York’s electricity generation—providing a stable and clean source. While often villainized in debates and discussions over safety, nuclear energy has consistently been crucial in ensuring a stable power supply in New York.

In the case of the Philippines, the New York model offers valuable lessons as we chart our own path toward a sustainable energy future.

Natural gas can serve as a transition fuel to reduce carbon emissions as the Philippines ramps up investments in renewable energy infrastructure. In the long-term, nuclear energy offers the Philippines a reliable, stable, and clean option for power supply to transition away from fossil fuels. Adopting nuclear technology can largely address energy security and environmental concerns.

Thankfully, the Philippines has already taken steps to accelerate our path towards a sustainable energy future.

Just late last year, the Philippines signed a civil nuclear cooperation deal, or the 123 Agreement, with the United States for the possible integration of nuclear energy in our supply mix.

Parallel to this are steps being taken by the private sector to support the government’s energy security initiative. For example, Meralco, the Philippines’ largest distribution utility has partnered with US-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) to study the adoption of nuclear technologies in the country.

Moving forward, lessons from New York’s energy strategy offer key insights as we carve our path toward achieving energy security without hurting the economy.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.