BILATERAL meetings will be held to draft a road map containing the next steps from the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the Department of Energy (DoE) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Among the key areas of collaboration to be discussed in the road map are petroleum derivatives, native hydrogen exploration, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), digital technology for electrical systems management and energy efficiency.
The road map, which is targeted for completion in three months, will then be presented to Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud.
“I welcome the joint efforts by both countries to implement the provisions of the MoU, which is a direct follow-through of discussions held during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Saudi Arabia in October last year. In that visit, Saudi state-owned companies expressed strong interest in investing in the Philippine energy sector,” Lotilla said.
Interest in hydrogen as an alternative source of energy, Lotilla explained, is a reflection of the worldwide trend of reducing dependence on oil and coal products.
Earlier this year, two areas in the Zambales Ophiolite Complex — a well-preserved oceanic crust with differing geochemical signatures and ages — were marked for hydrogen exploration, with awards to winning bidders forthcoming.
“Prince Abdulaziz and his team expressed interest in our native or naturally occurring hydrogen resources. Given Saudi Arabia’s extensive expertise in the exploration and development of upstream sectors, this cooperation holds promising benefits for both countries,” Lotilla said.
As for SAF — an environment-friendly option to fossil-based jet fuel — the International Civil Aviation Organization has set global targets for its use in commercial and civilian aviation. SAF production requires cracked coconuts as feedstock. The Philippines is the world’s second-largest coconut producer at 15 million metric tons annually.
The DoE pointed out the Philippines-KSA collaboration will help strengthen the Philippines’ energy network by enabling smarter grids, automated control systems and data-driven decision-making to reduce waste, enhance resource utilization and bolster energy security.
“In this collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we will also jointly explore the application of digital technology and artificial intelligence to enhance the management of our electrical systems and broader energy infrastructure,” Lotilla said.
KSA, traditionally known for its vast oil reserves, has advanced its energy efficiency goals through the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program which consists of regulations, standards and incentives on power-saving technologies.
By partnering with KSA, the Philippines seeks to adopt cutting-edge energy efficiency technologies and best practices to help lower energy consumption, reduce costs and contribute to sustainability, the DoE said.
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