Philippines, Sweden jointly commit to an energy efficient future

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Sweden have made a joint commitment to pursue a sustainable and energy-efficient future.

“We believe that a Philippine-Swedish partnership can be a catalyst for positive change in the energy sector in the Philippines,” Sweden Ambassador to the Philippines Annika Thunborg said.

“Together, we can build a more sustainable and energy-efficient future,” she said.

Attaining green sustainable development in the country can be achieved through innovations in energy efficiency, or eliminating energy waste in transportation and commercial and consumer processes, thereby reducing fuel or coal emissions.

Thunborg said a joint effort between the Swedish and Filipino governments and private sector is important in achieving sustainable development and contributing to the climate goals.

She said such spirit of collaboration was the key to the socio-economic, democratic, and environmental success of Sweden, which in the 19th century belonged to the poor corner of Europe.

“We are very enthusiastic to see such a high level of engagement from a range of stakeholders from both the Philippines and Sweden. This is a solid foundation for us to continue our collaboration for a green transition,” Business Sweden Trade Commissioner Kristina Elinder-Liljas said.

ABB and Hitachi Energy are among the Swedish energy companies that offer a range of smart grid and transmission solutions, including low-voltage and high-voltage direct current systems.

These systems can transmit enormous amounts of electricity over long distances with minimal losses, making them a key technology for integrating renewable energy into the grid.

Atlas Copco, a world leader in industrial solutions and technology, for its part, offers compressed air solutions using advanced technologies to reduce energy consumption and decrease operating costs.  It also provides monitoring and control solutions that help customers optimize energy consumption.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla has expressed the Philippine government’s commitment to a just and green transition.

He said the government intends to meet the growth in the country’s power demand with renewable and cleaner sources of energy.