Chiz urges more
schools to turn to renewable energy
By Office of Senator Chiz
Escudero
January 7, 2016
PASAY CITY – Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero has urged more universities
and colleges to follow the lead of Silliman University in Dumaguete
City, which is on its way to becoming the first academic institution
in the country to run completely on solar power.
Silliman recently signed an agreement with First Solar Orion Energy
Solutions Inc. (FSO), one of the largest producers of solar power in
the world, to install in the 62-hectare campus a 1.2-megawatt solar
power generating capacity to supply the power needs of the university.
“We commend Silliman University for this milestone and we also
encourage other educational institutions to promote the use of
renewable energy (RE) in order to show the world that we are faithful
in our commitment to reduce carbon emissions in the country,” said
Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources.
The Silliman-FSO deal was signed on December 18, or five days after
the Philippines pledged to stop global warming and signed the historic
climate accord in Paris, along with nearly 200 nations.
“We should be proud that even schools have the initiative to use
renewable sources because we need collaborative effort to be able to
achieve a sustainable energy system and to end this fossil fuel era,”
Escudero said.
Escudero had welcomed the Paris accord as “an important milestone
especially for countries that are most vulnerable to climate change
impacts like the Philippines.”
As Senate environment chief, Escudero also expressed his willingness
to work with policymakers for the crafting and passage of new
legislation that would help the country fulfill its climate change
commitments.
The deal, agreed at the UN talks in Paris, lays the foundation for
countries to work together in trying to limit the global temperature
below 1.5 degrees Celsius, well below the level of 2 degrees Celsius
that is likely to signal the worst effects of climate change.
The agreement also requires developed nations to continue to provide
funding to help less developed countries cut their carbon emissions
and adapt to the challenges posed by the changing climate.
In a statement, Silliman said its agreement with FSO further bolsters
its environmental advocacy and “walks its talk in reducing its carbon
footprint” as its share in helping achieve the country’s climate
commitments.
Under the deal, the university will be the principal consumer and FSO
will be the developer and supplier of the solar power.
The cost of the solar energy consumption will be 20 percent less per
kilowatt hour than what they are currently paying Negros Oriental
Electric Cooperative II.
At the same time, FSO pledges to provide free solar power to 240 poor
families living around Silliman.
According to data from the Department of Energy (DOE), only 37 percent
of power generated in 2014 was sourced from renewable energy sources
while 63 percent was sourced from non-renewable sources of power.
However, DOE intends to triple the increase of the country’s RE
capacity to 15,304 megawatts by 2030 from 5,438 megawatts in 2010.