Republic Act No. 9513
Definition
Republic Act No. 9513, the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, was signed in December 2008 to accelerate the development of the Philippines’ geothermal, hydro, solar, wind, biomass, and ocean energy resources. It created the policy framework — incentives, market mechanisms, and institutional mandates — that shifted renewable energy from niche projects to a central pillar of national energy planning.
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Philippine energy law |
| Wikidata | Q7185297 |
| DBpedia | N/A |
Also Known As
Renewable Energy Act of 2008
Examples and Analogies
The law treats renewable energy the way agricultural policy treats staple crops: guaranteed offtake and incentives to plant (build), feed-in tariffs guaranteeing harvest prices for wind and solar farms, and a portfolio standard obliging suppliers to source a fixed share from renewables — a nationwide crop-rotation away from imported coal and oil.
Usage Scenarios
The Department of Energy uses the act to run renewable portfolio standards, net metering for rooftop solar, and a green energy auction program; investors claim fiscal incentives for wind farms in Ilocos and Pangasinan, solar plants across Luzon and Visayas, and geothermal fields in Leyte and Bicol.
Strategies
Strategies include feed-in allowances and auctions to price renewables, tax holidays and duty-free equipment importation, renewable portfolio standards on distributors, and streamlined permitting through the Renewable Energy Management Bureau.
Security and Safety Measures
Grid rules under the act require transmission planning and reserve capacity so variable wind and solar output do not destabilize the system; environmental compliance reviews govern geothermal and hydro project impacts.
Historical Context
Passed amid record oil prices and the country’s new Renewable Energy Law coming after the Electric Power Industry Reform Act era, RA 9513 revived a renewable sector pioneered by Philippine geothermal development from the 1970s, whose Tiwi-Makiling fields had already made the country a top geothermal producer.
Challenges and Controversies
Coal continued expanding for years after passage despite the law’s climate rationale; disputes over feed-in tariff allowances in electricity bills, foreign-ownership limits on renewable resources, and slow permitting have drawn criticism from both investors and consumer groups.
Related Topic
Renewable energy in the Philippines