Michelle Marie T.

Ochoa IV-1 CN 36 November 22, 2013 Dear Editor, Imagine a world without fossil fuels, oil, and even nuclear power. To most people, they are limited to seeing a dark world (literally)! No lights, no cars, no power. Nothing is running anymore. Once all the oil is used up, where do we go from here? The demand for electricity in the Philippines is rapidly increasing. There is a limited amount of resources to produce such high electrical supply. It is a common notion that the mentioned non-renewable resources are the only sources of affordable energy. However, the use of these poses various threats not only to our environment but to our countrys economy as well. Dependence on these non-renewable energy sources contributes to the massive release of carbon in the air, and thus the pollution of our country. Dependence on these means we rely too much from the imports of petroleum products just to keep our energy flowing. With all these being said, the Philippine government must turn its attention to looking for renewable and sustainable alternatives for energy sources. The venture for the use of renewable energy (RE) has a lot of potential in the country. Earlier this year, the government introduced the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) as an incentive for those companies that utilize solar, wind, hydro, and/or biomass in the production of energy. These eco-friendly energy sources are not only readily available, but they are also cleaner and more sustainable to use. This Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) is to encourage electrical companies to tap indigenous resources to be used as energy. Already, DOE has approved a number of projects that makes use of renewable resources. This includes the Nabas Wind Project in Aklan as well as three more wind projects across the country. Ever since the implementation of the FIT, which would take full effect in 2014, numerous project proposals have been submitted to the government to apply for this incentive. A major problem that the FIT faces is not the number of willing companies, but rather it is the continuous support from the government. The FIT has been given low priority despite its success in reeling in investors. This new mechanism has a lot of implications for our government, economy, and environment. These salient points must be looked into more to be able to maximize the benefits our country can reap from FIT and renewable energy. In the end, it is not the lack of innovators that limits our country from using renewable energy; it is the execution and provision of the government. There is no shortage of competent visionaries in this field. With a proper and systemized system, the Philippine government can effectively implement this new energy scheme. The FIT is a good step but there is more to be done. Now, I ask again. Imagine a world without fossil fuels, oil, and even nuclear power. Do you see a brighter future ahead? Sincerely, Mia Ochoa