Orange Renewable Energy Development Corporation

Renewable energy provided 26.44% of the total electricity in the Philippines and 19,903 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electrical energy out of a total demand of 75,266 gigawatt-hours. The Philippines is a net importer of fossil fuels. For the sake of energy security, there is momentum to develop renewable energy sources. The types avail- able include hydropower, geothermal power, wind power, solar power and biomass power. The government of the Philippines has legislated a number of policies in order to increase the use of renewable energy by the country.

The government has committed to raising to 50% the contribution of renewables of its total electricity generating capacity, with 15.3 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. The move would help the country in its commitment to reduce its carbon emissions by 70% by 2030.

There is momentum to decrease reliance on fossil fuels due to the negative effects such as pollution, climate change and financial uncertainty because of fluctuating fuel prices. Legislation passed by the Congress of the Philippines to support the use of renewable energy include the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (2001), the Biofuels Act (2006), which encourages the use of biomass fuels;[7] the Renewable Energy Act (2008); and the Climate Change Act (2009), which provides a legal basis for addressing climate change through sustainable development.

Renewable energy implementation is important to the Philippines for several reasons. The geographic characteristics of the country make it vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Rising sea levels are a threat because the Philippines is an archipelago with many cities located in coastal areas. As the coastline recedes due to rising seas, coastal cities become vulnerable to flooding. Climate change has also been linked to changing weather patterns and extreme weather events.