DOE ponders coal role in power gaps

The Department of Energy (DOE) is considering exceptions to its ban on new coal-fired power plants, aiming to allow limited “own-use” facilities to help regional power shortages and support renewable energy with additional baseload power.

- GABRIELL CHRISTEL GALANG

The coal moratorium, introduced in 2020, was designed to halt new endorsements of coal-fired projects in the country as the government aims to increase the share of renewable energy (RE) sources, specifically achieving a 35 percent green energy share in the generation mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

However, the current caveat here is that it is not an “outright” ban, but rather it still permits some existing or planned projects to pursue developing their coal assets, as long as they are subject to government assessment.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin explained last week that while the Philippines is still pushing for more RE, it will not be able to address the power situation in other regions, such as Visayas and Mindanao.

“Just because we are pushing for RE, doesn’t mean that we want to abandon baseload. Baseload can be coal, it can be gas, it can be hydro, geothermal,” she told reporters.

“RE is a good source of energy, but it will not be enough,” she said.