Electricity in Philippines in 2023/2024

The current state of electricity consumption in the Philippines shows a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, with over 78% of its electricity generated from fossil sources between July 2023 and June 2024. Coal alone provided more than 61% of the country's electricity, while gas contributed nearly 16%. In contrast, clean energy sources accounted for roughly 22% of the total electricity generation, with geothermal energy constituting approximately 8.6%, hydropower around 8.4%, solar nearly 2.6%, and wind just over 1%. This indicates that while the Philippines has made some strides in adopting clean energy, there is still significant dependence on fossil fuels, which is detrimental to both climate and air quality.

Suggestions

To increase low-carbon electricity generation, the Philippines can draw lessons from other countries that have successfully integrated cleaner energy sources. For instance, Denmark generates about 61% of its electricity from wind, which is significantly higher than the Philippines' current wind contribution. Uruguay similarly produces around 36% of its electricity from wind. The Philippines can also look to countries like Greece and Chile, which generate over 20% of their electricity from solar power. However, perhaps the most significant opportunity lies in nuclear energy. Countries like France, Slovakia, and Finland have robust nuclear energy sectors, contributing 67%, 60%, and 39% to their electricity mix, respectively. By investing in both wind and solar infrastructure and developing a strong nuclear energy program, the Philippines can significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

History

Historically, the Philippines has seen fluctuations in its low-carbon electricity generation. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the country experienced varied changes in hydroelectric power, with significant increases and some declines. The late 1990s saw notable growth in geothermal energy, particularly in 1998 and 1999. However, geothermal generation also faced setbacks in subsequent years. The 2000s had intermittent changes in hydroelectric power, with a prominent increase in 2006 followed by fluctuation until 2011, when a 1.9 TWh increase in hydro was recorded. Not until 2016 did solar energy begin to take a more significant role, contributing an additional 1 TWh. Most recently, in the 2023/2024 period, geothermal energy saw a decrease of 1.5 TWh. These historical trends highlight the need for more consistent and robust investment in low-carbon energy sources to achieve a reliable and sustainable energy future.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources