THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY wants renewable energy sources to contribute at least half of the country’s primary energy mix, which would need about $8 billion in fresh investments, according to a government official.

Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said that, at present, renewable energy sources contribute about 43 percent to the country’s primary energy mix.

According to Marasigan, the government’s target is to increase the renewable energy sources’ share in the primary energy mix to 50 percent by 2020, the largest contribution that such sources can provide and sustain.

Attaining this goal would mean doubling the power generated from renewable energy sources from 5,500 megawatts (MW) as of 2008, to over 10,000 MW by 2020, he said.

The increase in the power drawn from renewable energy sources would also help the government achieve its target of 60-percent energy self-sufficiency, from the current 58 percent.

“Maintaining the 60 percent [energy self-sufficiency level] is a big challenge for the DOE, and we believe that renewable energy will play a big role. The only limitations that we see in terms of renewable energy are the technical limitations of some of the technology or resources,” Marasigan noted.

He stressed that the government needed to maintain this self-sufficiency level over the next 20 years.

“All over the urban areas in major cities, there are always vertical constructions, and for every vertical construction, whether it’s residential or commercial, this would require at least 1 or 2 MW in terms of power requirements. This does not include the power requirements upon occupancy yet,” he explained. Amy R. Remo