Sotto says PH’s energy mix must be more than 50% solar power

FILE PHOTO: Catholic dioceses across the country are making a shift to solar energy to power up their buildings, from parishes to seminaries, convents, and schools. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Because the Philippines is getting abundant sunlight, vice presidential bet Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the country’s energy mix should be more than 50 percent solar power.

“Mag-concentrate dun sa other sources of energy, ‘wag ‘yung puro fossil fuel. Nandiyan ang solar, nandiyan ang hydro, nandiyan ang geothermal. Dito sa solar…sa buong mundo, nasa equator tayo (sic). Tayo ang isa sa mga bansa na umaga, hapon, gabi, may araw tayo,” Sotto said in a DZRH interview aired on Tuesday.

(Let’s concentrate on other sources of energy, we should not rely only on fossil fuels. There’s solar energy, hydro, and geothermal. In the case of solar…we are [near] the equator. We are among the countries wherein during the morning, afternoon, and night, we get sunlight.)

“Dapat more than 50 percent ang energy source natin solar. Ang tindi ng sikat ng araw sa Pilipinas, napakatindi. Napakadali sana dapat sa solar,” he added.

(More than 50 percent of our energy source should be from solar power. The intensity of sunlight here in the Philippines would make it easier if we go solar.)

Water problem

Sotto also pointed to rainwater as among the solutions to address the country’s water problem.

Sotto said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is mandated by law to focus on establishing rainwater collection systems.

“Dapat napakaraming rainwater catchment sa Pilipinas. Napakaraming ulan eh. Hindi tayo kakapusin ng tubig,” he added.

(There should be abundant rainwater catchment facilities in the Philippines. We get a lot of rainwater. We will not lack water.)

He likewise said more desalination plants should be built across the country.

“At least —kung pwede nga regional—kung hindi, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao dapat may mga desalination plants tayo nang mapapakinabangan natin itong tubig na nakapaligid sa atin,” he added.

(At least—if it’s possible it should be regional—if not, we should have desalination plants in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao so we can make use of the water around us.)

RELATED STORY

PH should seize ‘renewables boom’ in Asia, says COP26 envoy

KGA