GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Renewable energy advocates and industry stakeholders gathered here on October 22 for the 4th Mindanao Clean Energy Forum to discuss solutions to the region’s power challenges and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Mindanao’s reliance on imported coal and diesel has raised concerns about energy security, particularly as geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf drive uncertainty in fuel prices.
Data released by the Department of Energy’s Mindanao Field Office in September showed that the island’s dependence on imported diesel rose from 18.1% to 20.3% this year.
Meanwhile, coal-fired power plants’ share of the power grid declined from 49.1% last year to 48.1%, partly due to technical problems at several facilities.
These challenges have renewed calls for a faster transition to renewable energy sources, including solar power, while highlighting the need to strengthen Mindanao’s existing energy infrastructure.
Mindanao’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels took hold around 2016, as the rehabilitation of the aging Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex lagged. The complex remains a key hydropower asset for the island.
Solar energy offers significant potential to help address the region’s power needs.
Studies estimate that Mindanao’s rooftops alone could accommodate about five gigawatts of solar capacity, enough to meet the island’s peak electricity demand.
However, data from the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) show that only 0.34% of Mindanao’s rooftops have solar installations, indicating substantial room for expansion.
The Mindanao Renewable Energy Acceleration and Coordination Hub (MINREACH), a multi-stakeholder group, is campaigning for renewable energy to account for a larger share of the island’s energy mix.
Its “50:50 by 2030” campaign seeks to achieve parity between fossil fuels and renewable energy in Mindanao’s energy mix by 2030, advancing a target of 35% renewable energy.
MINREACH organizes the annual Mindanao Clean Energy Forum, now in its fourth iteration, to bring stakeholders together to discuss energy challenges and promote solutions.
This year’s forum is convened by the Peace and Equity Foundation, the Mindanao Development Authority, the ICSC, Pinoy Aksyon for Governance and the Environment, the General Santos City government, the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., and the Regional Development Council of Region 12.
