GASIFICATION AS AN ENERGY SOLUTION

GASIFICATION AS AN ENERGY SOLUTION

My former UP political science professor Claire Carlos often reminds us through her Facebook posts that solutions to our national problems sometimes lie in the “obvious but overlooked.” Energy is one such problem. We worry about expensive electricity, blackouts, and imported fuel. Yet, right under our noses, we have agricultural waste piling up in the countryside. What if this “waste” is really energy waiting to be tapped?

James Erwin T. Gamit, in his thoughtful essay on gasification, points out that this technology can turn rice husks, corn cobs, coconut shells, and other residues into syngas—a usable fuel that can run small power plants, generate electricity, or even be converted into chemicals and liquid fuels. In short, what farmers usually burn in the open field or throw away can light up a barangay.

But here comes the first big question: Are there always enough feedstocks to sustain a barangay-based gasification system? Rural barangays may have plenty after harvest season, but will supply be steady all year round? Perhaps the answer is to combine technologies. Imagine a hybrid barangay energy system: gasification for crop residues, solar for the daytime, wind for coastal or highland areas, and biogas for manure and kitchen waste. Each has strengths and weaknesses, but together, they form a resilient shield against blackouts.

This leads us to another question worth debating: Is it possible for rural communities to eventually declare energy independence? Has it been done before? The answer is yes. In Germany, the small village of Wildpoldsried now produces five times more energy than it consumes—selling the surplus back to the national grid. In Alaska’s Kodiak Island, nearly 100% of energy now comes from wind and hydro. In India, entire villages have shifted to solar microgrids. If they can, why can’t our barangays?

Of course, technology has its quirks. For instance, can gasification use charcoal? The answer is also yes. In fact, charcoal gasifiers can be more efficient because charcoal burns cleaner and produces less tar. The catch is that making charcoal itself consumes energy and releases emissions. But perhaps in our climate—where drying raw biomass during rainy months is a problem—charcoal could serve as a seasonal backup fuel.

All of this points to a larger national conversation. Should we not have a clear national goal for energy independence, as other countries do? Right now, our Department of Energy talks about electrifying every barangay by 2028, but electrification is not the same as independence. If our power still comes from imported coal, diesel, or even natural gas, then we still remain vulnerable to global shocks.

The Philippines should have a roadmap for energy independence. Not just a slogan, but a detailed plan: how much solar, how much wind, how many barangay-scale gasifiers, how much biogas, and yes—whether nuclear will still be on the table. The roadmap must also answer the hard question: How many years will it take before we can confidently say we are energy independent? Ten years? Twenty? Or never, if we just muddle along?

Which brings us to the most controversial question: Can we avoid nuclear energy if we have a complete mix of hybrid renewable solutions? Nuclear is powerful, but dangerous and politically divisive. If our barangays can be energy self-reliant through a smart mix of gasification, solar, wind, and biogas, maybe nuclear will no longer be necessary. Or at least, we will have the luxury of choice.

I believe the road to Philippine energy independence must start at the barangay. Local, community-owned systems reduce dependency on big utilities and foreign fuel. They also create jobs for farmers, carpenters, and technicians who can collect feedstocks, build, and maintain the systems. Most of all, they give people the dignity of self-reliance.

As Professor Carlos might say: sometimes the answer is already in the hands of the people—quite literally, in the rice husks they sweep from the floor after milling. The challenge is whether our leaders can see this, and whether they are bold enough to give us not just power, but the power to be free from foreign dependence.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

11-16-2025