Renewable energy is generated from abundant resources that can naturally replenish. The most common energy sources are solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass.

Solar energy comes directly from the sun. Wind energy, from the word itself, comes from the wind. Hydro energy comes from water. Geothermal energy directly sources from the earth’s heat. And biomass comes from plants or decomposing animals.

Utilizing renewable energy can decrease pollution since it creates no direct greenhouse gas emission which can help battle climate change. Although renewable energy can be costly in the beginning, it guarantees a cheaper alternative to fossil fuels once stabilized.

The government recognizes this edge. Thus, the Republic Act 9513 or the “Renewable Energy Act of 2008” which aims to promote and commercialize renewable energy, was implemented. This act also aims to promote self-energy reliance to minimize dependence from the international market.

In the Philippines, the Bangui Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte is the first known municipality to invest in renewable energy. The wind farm stretches nine kilometers along the shoreline of Bangui Bay facing the West Philippines Sea.

Renewable energy, however, has problems in utilization. Technology, economics, and politics come into play.

There is no technology yet that can store and generate as much energy as the world is consuming today. And even if there is, the next problem would be transporting energy to homes and businesses.

Location and availability of resources are also factors to consider. For example, in order to gather enough solar power, panels must be placed in a location where there is direct sunlight. However optimal locations for harnessing solar energy, such as deserts and mountain peaks, are far from highly urbanized areas where the demand for electricity is high.

Additionally, not all places have optimal areas to solely dedicate for gathering renewable energy. But if it needs to be constructed, it will take up vast amounts of land and can disrupt wildlife. Presently, there are professionals who are converting renewable energy to chemical energy in labs but it is not yet ready.

Moreover, while research for the most effective way to commercialize renewable energy continues, there is reason to believe that we can revive mother nature as more people are becoming aware about climate change.