Arroyo admin raise country’s energy self-sufficiency
BACOLOD CITY – The administration of President Gloria M. Arroyo has raised the energy self –sufficiency of the country from 49.07 percent during the year 2000 to 58.9 percent in 2009, strengthening its stand on clean environment policies.
This has resulted to less dependence on oil importation that has created a positive effect on the energy and environmental goals of the nation and also better lives for every Filipinos.
The administration entered into deals with 18 companies to generate 3,239.6 MW of renewable energy in 2009.
Since February 2007, there have been 214,136,283 liters of diesel sold with 1 percent
Bioethanol blend.
With NGO and government partnership especially the Department of Environment and natural Resources, DENR, the use of Compact Fluorescent Lamps, CFLs, was promoted and about 13 million CFLs are set to be distributed nationwide to replace the incandescent bulb.
Experts say incandescent bulbs consume more electricity and give out lesser light compared to CFLs that require lesser power but give out more light.
CFLs also last up to 10 times longer, use one-fourth the energy and produce 90 percent less heat.
On September 4, 2009, Energy Sec. Angelo Reyes inaugurated in behalf of President Gloria M. Arroyo the San Carlos Bioenergy Plant.
The plant is the first of its kind in Asia and is capable of producing nearly 40 million liters of ethanol every year that provides for approximately 10 percent of the country’s ethanol requirement under Biofuels Act of 2006.
The plant will also generate eight megawatts of renewable energy. Part of it will be exported to be used by the local grid to support efforts towards rural electrification.
Another player in the Bioethanol industry is set to put up a similar plant using sugarcane as raw material in the Municipality of Murcia.
It plans to produce 20 MW of power and churn out 200, 000 liters of ethanol daily. (PIA-LOL)
