Green Energy VS Coal Energy in the Philippines

The Visayan Daily Star is reporting today more information about the Department of Energy deciding whether to build a new coal powered plant near Bacolod City or build more green energy plants.

“If we go RE, it’s going to be more expensive source of energy, so we need to keep a balance of what we can afford…and what the environment can afford,” Petilla said.

Indeed, but it's not just about the environment. The Philippines does not regulate coal mining as much as they should. Death, cancer, and other illnesses occur due to the dust particles and poor mining practices around the country.

Besides, the price of energy is already one of the most expensive in the world. Isn't that funny? One of the poorest countries in the world paying the most expensive prices?

It's not funny to me.

Here's a bigger look at the problem:

Price per kWh:

Philippines: $0.181

Mexico: $0.0888
USA: $0.1158
Canada: $0.0945
Taiwan: $0.0932

Of course, you might be thinking that those countries are out of the Philippines league. So here's some more Asian countries for comparison:

Thailand: $0.123
Malaysia: $0.124
South Korea: $0.13

The Philippines has the most expensive electricity prices in all of Asia.

There's absolutely no reason to build coal plants when it has no effect on the price. The unsafe methods are causing prices to go up. People don't want to work there and the ones that do get sick. Green energy is safer and healthier for the environment. As well, in the long run, green energy is cheaper.

Want to know why the Philippines pays so much in electricity?
It's because the Philippines is the only country in Asia to have privatized electric companies that forces all the cost onto the consumer. Other countries subsidize the cost of electricity through taxes to help control the cost that is pushed onto the citizens and corporations. As well, government owned electric companies keep costs low in order to save money within their system.

Furthermore, not only does high electric costs force residences to use less electricity (especially the poor), but it causes businesses to as well. Businesses are known to shy away from areas of high electric prices. This is why in many countries and cities around the world, they will offer businesses tax breaks and lower electricity costs. Since the government doesn't own the utilities in the Philippines, those same tax breaks and electricity price breaks cannot be given.