By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios
Even before the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine took place almost two years ago on February 24, 2022, the issue of the global energy crisis became a primary concern of world leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic and is aggravated by the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine.
Mindful of this current predicament of the looming and worsening energy crisis being experienced not just the highly industrialized countries, but also the developing countries. The shortage of energy supply, the increasing demand and unabated skyrocketing prices call for facing the crisis head-on and diversification of sources from renewable energies such as solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, and hydrogen, among others.
The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GPCCI), in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, recently concluded a German-Philippine Green Hydrogen Conference.
“Our primary focus is to contribute to the success story of the Philippines in achieving their renewable energy targets,” says GPCCI President Stefan Schmitz. “We are glad to have provided a platform for this important dialogue in the development of Green Hydrogen technologies in the country.”
A major highlight of the conference was the presentation by Dr. Paul Berthau of the German Rainer Lemoine Research Institute. Dr. Bertheau shared the groundbreaking results of the Feasibility Study on green hydrogen technology in off-grid areas in the Philippines. The study, which focused on three NAPOCOR sites in northern and southern Luzon and Visayas, provided critical insights into the viability and impact of green hydrogen technology in these regions.
“Green Hydrogen is one part of the puzzle to achieve a cleaner supply of energy in the Philippines,” says Dr. Paul Bertheau. “As a research institute, we are always glad to collaborate with important energy stakeholders in the country to help rid of its reliance on fossil fuels.”
The conference also featured two insightful panel discussions. The first panel focused on the potential and challenges of implementing green hydrogen technology in the Philippines.
Experts discussed how this emerging technology could be integrated into the Philippine energy sector, highlighting the opportunities for sustainable development and energy independence. The second panel provided an international perspective, sharing best practices and lessons learned from hydrogen pilot projects worldwide.
“With our mandate to provide electricity to rural areas and our commitment to optimizing power generation assets, this conference and feasibility study presents an opportunity to modernize power systems and reduce emissions,” said NAPOCOR President Fernando Martin “Nani” Roxas. “We believe this cooperation will pave the way for a sustainable and climate-friendly energy transition in the Philippines,” he added.
In addition to these discussions, the conference included a discussion on Green Hydrogen in the Philippines & Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Hydrogen Pilot Projects worldwide.