THE DELEGATION. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi (center) led the Philippine energy sector’s delegation in the 15th Ministerial Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) last January 17 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
(Taguig City). Advancing continental energy cooperation, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi led a delegation from his department in taking an active role during the 15th Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Abu Dhabi.
The dialogue hosted by the United Arab Emirates last Jan. 17 had for its theme “Abu Dhabi, the Capital of Sustainable Energy.”
In his speech, Secretary Cusi said “ACD is evolving to a higher level and serious intent of cooperation. The Philippines is one with the ACD in pursuing its vision of sustainable energy and secured energy access for Asia.”
Recognizing the importance of energy planning with rising power demand due to rapid urbanization, Sec. Cusi emphasized that “the energy sector will play a critical role in ensuring the reliable supply of energy to all our consumers nationwide. We take the role of sustainable energy very seriously.”
“We continue to work with other countries to ensure a strong enabling environment which will encourage greater investment, especially in renewable forms of energy, as well as other conventional forms of energy,” he added.
Cusi also highlighted that energy projects in the Philippines are, as a policy, treated as “projects of national significance.”
“The policy assures the timely implementation of energy and power projects, which will subsequently address the energy supply deficiency and ease the rising cost of power in the country,” said Cusi.
Cusi underscored the building of an appropriate portfolio of dependable power capacity mix of 70% base load, 20% mid-merit and 10% peaking plant categories, while taking into consideration the 25% reserve requirements on a per grid basis.
The DOE will also pursue a natural gas infrastructure network to take advantage of its reliability, viability and environmentally-friendly benefits like lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Since natural gas infrastructure demands long-term planning, sustained investment and cooperative efforts, Sec. Cusi pointed out that “we will be technology neutral as we need all forms of energy resource to fuel our economic growth.”
The 15th Ministerial Meeting of the ACD has come up with the “Abu Dhabi Declaration” outlining an eight-point agreement adopted by the participating countries.
The agreements include energy-water-food security nexus; the facilitation and promotion of energy investment, research and development; the creation of new economic opportunities and markets across Asia; increasing energy access and connectivity across Asia; developing and integrating timely and coherent risk management systems for energy, water and food security; and facilitation of knowledge sharing, technology transfer and capacity building.
The Philippines is one of the founding members of the ACD, which now has among its members Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekiztan and Vietnam.
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