The Philippine government is setting up the Renewable Energy R&D Institute (RERDI) to lead the country’s efforts in forging public-private initiatives to develop indigenous clean energy technologies.

This was announced by Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, who said that “these technologies, once commercialized, can spur the growth of clean industries and create green jobs in the Philippines.”

Angara, principal author of R. A. 9513 or the Renewable Energy
Resources Act, said the looming power crisis is actually “a unique opportunity to capitalize on our indigenous energy sources.”

He quoted the study – 2008 Global Energy [R]evolution Sustainable Energy Outlook – which identified the Philippines among the “hot spots” of new power generation investment, along with China, North America, Europe, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The study said the average investment on the power sector worldwide for the next three decades could reach $590 billion a year.

“The Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering, which I chair, is currently pursuing combined heat and power systems which integrate the agriculture and energy sectors,” Angara said.

The senator from Baler, who was agriculture secretary in the Estrada administration, said the two sectors can complement each other by using locally generated biofuels as energy source.

Angara said that “by placing combined heat and power systems, the electric power generated can light up homes, run factories, and light public areas.”

“The heat produced can be efficiently reused in food processing,” he said. “Smart solar system can power domestic post-harvest activities, boosting our agricultural productivity.”

“Converting more solar power into electricity is high on the political agenda of many countries, amid the global effort to utilize domestic energy sources that are less polluting than fossil fuels,” Angara said.

He cited China, emerging as the world leader in nuclear power, wind energy and photovoltaic solar panels, which is turning to sun energy source by using thousands of mirrors to turn water into steam, which then power a conventional turbine.