When disasters hit the Philippines, it is always the poorest communities that are the most severely affected. Filipinos suffer massive property damage, and the loss of services like electricity and water worsen the already difficult situation. Calamities also cause long-term threats to the financial security of families. Pre-existing vulnerabilities, such as job insecurity or low-income levels, combined with unevenly distributed disaster relief make it much harder for disaster-hit communities to recover. People are driven to their knees, and many take years to rebound.
Solar for Capacity Building in Communities A way to build and strengthen capacity in the Philippines’ most vulnerable communities is to install and maintain clean energy systems. People will not only be better equipped to handle the immediate fallout from disasters, but the projects will build better long-term resilience, too. These projects and the beginning of a new system of energy sourcing can and will help break the cycles of poverty, unemployment, and access to basic social services that lead to social immiseration. With electricity supplies present during the immediate aftermath of calamities, people can resume economic activities. The delivery of services and relief aid is faster and more guaranteed. Recovery is faster.
The challenge is enormous. As populations rise, global energy consumption is predicted to increase by nearly 50% by 2050. Meeting this demand with fossil fuels would lead to an even greater climate catastrophe and leave communities even more vulnerable to its consequences. If the Philippines is to prevent that from happening, the transition to renewable energy must be now.
Solar to the Rescue
The conditions are ripe: solar power has already become the cheapest source of electricity in history. The International Energy Agency calls it the “New King” of electricity. It predicts that solar and wind power combined could overtake coal as the world's biggest source of power by the year 2025 if only national governments enact all the changes to their energy systems to address the climate emergency.
Solar installations are not invulnerable, but the fact is they cannot be completely wiped out by extreme weather. There will always be the sun With access to solar power, Filipinos can end their dependence on fossil fuel and stop being at the mercy of a centralized source of power.
Solar panels are effectively mini power plants in themselves. They can be distributed all across the country, and communities can be disconnected from the central grid and continue to operate even when the main power supply goes down. With the help of battery storage, this can provide a life-saving source of power for Filipinos during critical outages.
Solar PV systems can be shipped to affected communities, quickly set up, and provide electricity immediately after. These systems can save lives as they provide environmentally-safe alternatives to gas generators and lights that run on batteries.
There are now easily available complete, pre-assembled 5 kW systems that can be delivered by a small truck and then installed by three people within an hour. These systems can also be as quickly and easily uninstalled and then moved to another location when needed. I
All companies in the solar power generation or storage industries should develop and promote disaster response and recovery initiatives and seriously show how renewable energy like solar is as vital during emergencies as it is important during ordinary days.