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| Can the Philippines Rely on Solar and Wind Energy Alone? |
Understanding Solar and Wind Energy in the Philippines: Advantages and Challenges
The Philippines is no stranger to the effects of climate change. Strong typhoons and long droughts have hit the country many times. That’s why supporting renewable energy is a smart move for generating electricity. In the Philippines, there are five sources of renewable energy, with solar and wind being two of them.
Solar energy captures power from the sun, while wind energy harnesses the wind’s motion to generate electricity. But if you were asked to name one major advantage and one disadvantage of these energy sources, what would your answer be?
In this article, we’ll explore one key advantage and one challenge of solar and wind energy—factors that play a big role in how we view renewable energy.
Why Is This Important?
Understanding the advantages of solar and wind energy gives us a clear picture of why renewable energy is better than fossil fuels. For decades, coal has been the largest energy source in the Philippines. But as climate change worsens, the country has wisely decided to expand its renewable energy portfolio. To achieve a stable and progressive energy sector, we need a mix of both renewable and non-renewable sources.
On the other hand, knowing the challenges helps us set realistic expectations. While renewable energy is reliable, we can’t completely phase out fossil fuels yet. Although we all hope for 100% clean energy, current technology and demand require a combination of both energy types.
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The Major Advantage: Free and Locally Available
The biggest advantage of solar and wind energy is that they come from natural resources. This means they are free and available within the country. Unlike fossil fuels, which need to be imported to run power plants, solar and wind do not rely on global markets.
Imported fuels like coal, diesel, and natural gas are affected by price fluctuations worldwide. When fuel prices rise, electricity bills increase as well. This has happened in the Philippines before and could happen again. A heavy dependence on fossil fuels leads to high electricity costs. But with solar and wind, price stability is possible. The government can regulate electricity rates more easily, ensuring fair pricing for both power plant operators and consumers. At the end of the day, what matters most is the cost per kilowatt-hour on our electricity bills.
The Major Disadvantage: Intermittency
Not many people talk about the downside of solar and wind energy, probably to avoid negative perceptions. But it’s important to be aware of the challenges rather than ignore them. The biggest issue with solar and wind energy is intermittency, or their inability to generate power consistently.
Solar power plants, for example, only produce electricity when the sun is up. At night, they stop generating power and instead consume energy. Even during the day, a thick cloud cover can instantly reduce output by up to 30%. Since the Philippines experiences long rainy seasons, solar power generation is lower during these times.
Wind energy has a similar issue. There are seasons when wind speeds are too low to turn all the turbines in a wind farm. When this happens, many turbines remain idle, and the farm produces significantly less electricity.
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Because of intermittency, the country cannot rely solely on solar and wind energy. If the electricity grid depends too much on these sources, power supply shortages could occur. This doesn’t mean we should stop supporting solar and wind energy—it simply highlights the need for a balanced energy mix to ensure grid stability and affordable electricity rates.
Key Takeaways
The Philippines is committed to increasing its renewable energy share. By 2040, the goal is to have 50% of the country’s energy come from renewables, according to the Department of Energy’s Philippine Energy Plan.
By understanding the advantages and challenges, we see how renewable energy can help lower electricity costs. Solar and wind will play a huge role in this transition. However, intermittency remains a challenge, which is why a balanced mix of renewable and non-renewable sources is crucial. Whether 50% is the right target remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—renewable energy is the future.
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