Theme: Localizing the Energy Transition: Ensuring Energy Security and Resilience through Renewable Development

Background and Rationale

Local communities across the Philippines are increasingly experiencing both the opportunities and challenges of shifting toward renewable energy. While national targets aim for a 35% share of renewable energy (RE) by 2030 and 50% by 2040, regional realities highlight persistent barriers in achieving these goals. Many areas still rely heavily on imported fossil fuels, exposing communities to price volatility, supply disruptions, and the economic burden of automatic fuel pass-through mechanisms. At the same time, geographic isolation, limited grid infrastructure, and uneven access to RE resources make energy security and reliability a critical local concern.

The experience of regions like Eastern Visayas illustrates both the potential and urgency of a localized energy transition. Municipalities such as Guiuan and Paranas have demonstrated that targeted investments in rooftop solar, hybrid systems, and community-based RE projects can reduce electricity costs, improve service continuity, and generate local economic and employment opportunities. These examples underscore the importance of empowering local governments, utilities, and communities to actively participate in energy planning and to harness renewable resources for climate resilience and sustainable development.

Despite progress, several systemic and operational challenges remain. These include the complexity and length of permitting processes for RE projects, uncertainties around power supply agreements, financing barriers, and the need to modernize the baseload-centric grid to accommodate distributed and renewable generation. There is also a growing imperative to ensure a just transition—ensuring that workers, communities, and vulnerable populations benefit from the shift to cleaner energy without disproportionate costs or disruptions.

In this context, the second Philippine Energy Transition Dialogue 2025 (PH-ETD 2) will focus on actionable, locally relevant solutions that complement national policies. It aims to address key gaps in project development, investment mobilization, regulatory streamlining, and community engagement. By bringing together government agencies, local governments, distribution utilities, renewable energy developers, financial institutions, civil society, and academic partners, the dialogue seeks to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy in ways that are equitable, resilient, and economically beneficial for communities across the archipelago.

Objectives

Identify pathways to streamline the permitting process to accelerate renewable energy deployment.

Increase awareness and understanding of ER 1-94 mechanisms to ensure equitable benefits for host communities.

Exchange knowledge on financing and technological solutions—including energy storage, distributed generation, and innovative financing—to strengthen local participation and investment readiness.

Highlight inclusive and community-driven approaches that promote just transition, local employment, and the active role of non-state actors in the energy transition.

Present key findings and insights from the Long-Term Energy Scenarios (LTES) to inform policy coherence and strategic direction for localized renewable energy development.