Rising electricity costs, recurring power outages, and global energy uncertainty are accelerating the adoption of rooftop solar systems across the Philippines. Businesses and households are increasingly investing in solar energy to reduce power bills, improve energy security, and lessen dependence on traditional electricity sources. As demand surges, the solar industry is witnessing rapid growth, but challenges remain. Industry players point to financing constraints, regulatory bottlenecks, and permitting delays as key obstacles slowing wider adoption. Despite these hurdles, the country's renewable energy transition is gaining momentum.

Businesses & households lead Philippines' solar revolution

India and China, two major economies and top coal consumers in the world, on Saturday (Dec 2) abstained from a pledge taken by 118 countries on the sidelines of the annual UN climate summit (COP28). 
 
The pledge focused on tripling the global renewable energy generation capacity to around 11,000 GW and doubling energy efficiency's average annual rate by 2030. India decided to keep away from signing the pledge while continuing its stance of using coal till 2030. 
 
Despite taking many steps to increase the country's non-fossil fuel energy generation capacity which includes wind, solar and hydel, it has not been willing to make commitments regarding majorly cutting down its reliance on coal-fired power plants, which is the main source of generating electricity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-cop28-five-passionate-environmentalists-who-are-restoring-indias-biodiversity-tirelessly-665225">COP28: Five passionate environmentalists who are restoring India's biodiversity tirelessly</a>

India has continued to maintain that it will not be "pressured" into making the reduction of the usage of coal as it is not willing to compromise on the power supply which drives its economic growth and even in the G20 Declaration, which had prioritised de-addiction to coal, kept its stance of using coal at least till 2030. 
 
The stance by India has place it at odds with the emerging consensus of decreasing dependency on fossil fuel and in congruence with China along with other oil producers Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran.

<h2>India aims to increase non-fossil power capacity by 2030, may sign deal later</h2>

However, government officials have continued to maintain that India has been targetting to substantially increase its non-fossil power capacity by 2030, in accordance with the climate action pledge taken under the Paris Agreement, while maintaining that it cannot make any commitment which disturbs the priority of boosting development so as to lift millions out of poverty. 
 
The officials said that India's principled stand should not be taken as rigidity because India can be a part of the deal later after its terms are negotiated, as the agreement clearly notes the circumstances of every country and their capability to negotiate.

Watch:&nbsp;COP28 summit in Dubai: India offers to host climate talks in 2028&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/cop28-summit-in-dubai-india-offers-to-host-climate-talks-in-2028-world-news-wion-665137/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“After all, it has been done outside the COP28 negotiation process. It just reflects the intent of global efforts and there has been no question mark on India's intent. India is already on board as part of the signatory of the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration,” an observer said, as reported by The Times Of India. 
 
At the G20 leaders’ summit which was organised in Delhi and where a unanimous communique was issued, the richest countries in the world, including those who did not participate, had agreed to “pursue and encourage efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally through existing targets and policies, as well as demonstrate similar ambition with respect to other zero and low-emission technologies, including abatement and removal technologies, in line with national circumstances by 2030”.

(With inputs from agencies)

India and China, two major economies and top coal consumers in the world, on Saturday (Dec 2) abstained from a pledge taken by 118 countries on the sidelines of the annual UN climate summit (COP28).

India and China, two major economies and top coal consumers in the world, on Saturday (Dec 2) abstained from a pledge taken by 118 countries on the sidelines of the annual UN climate summit (COP28). The pledge focused on tripling the global renewable energy generation capacity to around 11,000 GW and doubling energy efficiency's average annual rate by 2030. India decided to keep away from signing the pledge while continuing its stance of using coal till 2030. Despite taking many steps to increase the country's non-fossil fuel energy generation capacity which includes wind, solar and hydel, it has not been willing to make commitments regarding majorly cutting down its reliance on coal-fired power plants, which is the main source of generating electricity. Also read: COP28: Five passionate environmentalists who are restoring India's biodiversity tirelessly India has continued to maintain that it will not be "pressured" into making the reduction of the usage of coal as it is not willing to compromise on the power supply which drives its economic growth and even in the G20 Declaration, which had prioritised de-addiction to coal, kept its stance of using coal at least till 2030. The stance by India has place it at odds with the emerging consensus of decreasing dependency on fossil fuel and in congruence with China along with other oil producers Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran. India aims to increase non-fossil power capacity by 2030, may sign deal later However, government officials have continued to maintain that India has been targetting to substantially increase its non-fossil power capacity by 2030, in accordance with the climate action pledge taken under the Paris Agreement, while maintaining that it cannot make any commitment which disturbs the priority of boosting development so as to lift millions out of poverty. The officials said that India's principled stand should not be taken as rigidity because India can be a part of the deal later after its terms are negotiated, as the agreement clearly notes the circumstances of every country and their capability to negotiate. Watch: COP28 summit in Dubai: India offers to host climate talks in 2028 “After all, it has been done outside the COP28 negotiation process. It just reflects the intent of global efforts and there has been no question mark on India's intent. India is already on board as part of the signatory of the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration,” an observer said, as reported by The Times Of India. At the G20 leaders’ summit which was organised in Delhi and where a unanimous communique was issued, the richest countries in the world, including those who did not participate, had agreed to “pursue and encourage efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally through existing targets and policies, as well as demonstrate similar ambition with respect to other zero and low-emission technologies, including abatement and removal technologies, in line with national circumstances by 2030”. (With inputs from agencies)

COP28: India, China abstain from renewable power pledge, 118 nations sign up

A new study by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) shows that India can leapfrog to a more sustainable power system by 2030, thanks to dramatic cost reductions in battery storage and wind and solar energy.

In the publication, "Least Cost Pathway for India's Power System Investments", the researchers examined a least-cost investment pathway to meet India's electricity demand through 2030.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-set-to-achieve-450-gw-renewable-energy-installed-capacity-by-2030-centre-420061">India set to achieve 450 GW renewable energy installed capacity by 2030: Centre</a>

According to the study, if India achieves its goal of installing 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030, it could reduce electricity costs by eight to ten per cent, provided that the price of renewable energy and batteries continue to fall. 
 
2030 will see&nbsp;the carbon emissions intensity of India's&nbsp;electricity supply dropping by 43 to 50 per cent from 2020 levels.

In light of rapid industrialization and rising incomes, India, home to more than 1 billion people, has set ambitious clean-energy targets to reduce pollution and combat climate change while meeting growing electricity demands. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that India would install 175 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by 2022, up from 100 GW currently, and 500 GW of non-fossil power by 2030.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-at-unga-india-to-become-the-worlds-biggest-green-hydrogen-hub-415915">PM Modi at UNGA: India to become the world's biggest Green Hydrogen hub</a>

"We found that building such high levels of renewable energy would actually be economical for India, thanks to the cost reductions in clean technologies that have occurred much faster than anticipated," said Berkeley Lab scientist and the study`s lead author, Nikit Abhyankar. 
 
"However, the key to achieving the lowest costs, while maintaining grid reliability, lies in complementing the renewable energy buildout with flexible resources such as energy storage and demand response, and utilizing the existing thermal power assets in the country in the most efficient manner." 
 
Researchers at Berkeley Lab found that nearly half of India's electricity supply could be carbon-free by 2030, compared to only 25 per cent in 2020. In order to achieve this, renewable energy capacity would have to quadruple over the next decade.

Watch |&nbsp;Portugal's 70% of power is generated by renewable sources of energy

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/portugals-70-of-power-is-generated-by-renewable-sources-of-energy-416837/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The researchers also found that integrating renewable energy with flexible resources such as shifting agricultural electricity consumption to solar hours, using batteries to store four to six hours of daily energy for nighttime use, and utilising flexibility in existing thermal power plants saves money over building new coal or gas-fired plants. 
 
The study shows that by 2030 coal consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector can almost hold at 2020 levels. It is therefore unlikely that switching to clean energy sources will result in job losses in mining and transportation over the near to medium term, giving India time to plan for a longer-term transition.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new study by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) shows that India can leapfrog to a more sustainable power system by 2030, thanks to dramatic cost reductions in battery storage and wind and solar energy.

A new study by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) shows that India can leapfrog to a more sustainable power system by 2030, thanks to dramatic cost reductions in battery storage and wind and solar energy. In the publication, "Least Cost Pathway for India's Power System Investments", the researchers examined a least-cost investment pathway to meet India's electricity demand through 2030. Also read | India set to achieve 450 GW renewable energy installed capacity by 2030: Centre According to the study, if India achieves its goal of installing 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030, it could reduce electricity costs by eight to ten per cent, provided that the price of renewable energy and batteries continue to fall. 2030 will see the carbon emissions intensity of India's electricity supply dropping by 43 to 50 per cent from 2020 levels. In light of rapid industrialization and rising incomes, India, home to more than 1 billion people, has set ambitious clean-energy targets to reduce pollution and combat climate change while meeting growing electricity demands. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that India would install 175 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by 2022, up from 100 GW currently, and 500 GW of non-fossil power by 2030. Also read | PM Modi at UNGA: India to become the world's biggest Green Hydrogen hub "We found that building such high levels of renewable energy would actually be economical for India, thanks to the cost reductions in clean technologies that have occurred much faster than anticipated," said Berkeley Lab scientist and the study`s lead author, Nikit Abhyankar. "However, the key to achieving the lowest costs, while maintaining grid reliability, lies in complementing the renewable energy buildout with flexible resources such as energy storage and demand response, and utilizing the existing thermal power assets in the country in the most efficient manner." Researchers at Berkeley Lab found that nearly half of India's electricity supply could be carbon-free by 2030, compared to only 25 per cent in 2020. In order to achieve this, renewable energy capacity would have to quadruple over the next decade. Watch | Portugal's 70% of power is generated by renewable sources of energy The researchers also found that integrating renewable energy with flexible resources such as shifting agricultural electricity consumption to solar hours, using batteries to store four to six hours of daily energy for nighttime use, and utilising flexibility in existing thermal power plants saves money over building new coal or gas-fired plants. The study shows that by 2030 coal consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector can almost hold at 2020 levels. It is therefore unlikely that switching to clean energy sources will result in job losses in mining and transportation over the near to medium term, giving India time to plan for a longer-term transition. (With inputs from agencies)

By 2030, India will be able to meet its electricity needs through renewable energy: Study

Alphabet Inc's Google aims to power its data centers and offices solely with renewable energy by 2030, its chief executive told Reuters, becoming the biggest company in the world to commit to ditching coal and natural gas power.

The "stretch goal," as CEO Sundar Pichai described it, will force Google to move beyond the tech industry norm of offseting carbon emissions from electricity use and require technological and political breakthroughs to achieve.

"The problem is so immense, many of us need to lead the way and show solutions," Pichai said. "We’re one small player in this but we can set an example."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/google-rallies-youtubers-against-australian-news-payment-plan-321465" hreflang="en">Google rallies YouTubers against Australian news payment plan</a>

Wildfires burning a record area in the western United States this month have increased public awareness of climate change, Pichai said, and Google wants to bring further attention through its new goal as well as product features.

Wind, solar and other renewable sources accounted for 61% of Google's global hourly electricity usage last year. The proportion varied by facility, with carbon-free sources fulfilling 96% of hourly power needs at Google's wind-swept Oklahoma data center compared with 3% at its gas-reliant Singapore operation.

But Google, which consumes slightly more power annually worldwide than residents and businesses in Delaware, has grown optimistic that it can bridge the gap with batteries to store solar power overnight, emerging sources such as geothermal reservoirs and better management of power needs.

"To plan 24/7 hourly being carbon-free in our data centers and campuses around the world, we see an enormous logistics challenge, which is why we've been hard at work modeling the last year how to get there," Pichai said. "And we feel confident we can get there by 2030."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/tiktok-tracked-android-devices-in-direct-violation-of-googles-policy-319880" hreflang="en">TikTok tracked Android devices in direct violation of Google's policy</a>

He declined to share the likely cost of achieving the goal.

Big Google rivals including Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc have targeted removing more carbon from the atmosphere than they emit over the coming decades, but none of them have publicly set a goal to stop sourcing carbon-based energy.

But the companies share a common goal of catalyzing businesses and governments to curb climate pollution before 2030, when scientists say global warming could become catastrophic if unchecked.

Jennifer Layke, global director at research group World Resources Institute, which has received Google funding, said the company inspired others in the United States and Europe over the last decade but its efforts must now spur action in crucial polluting regions such as China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

"If we can't shift from carbon, we will suffer the firestorms and the droughts," she said.

Google has been carbon-neutral since 2007, meaning it has planted trees, bought carbon credits and funded large amounts of wind power in places where it is abundant to offset its tapping of coal and natural gas power in other regions. It also said Monday that its estimated 1 million metric tons of emissions between 2006 and its 1998 launch now have been offset.

The company's new goals include bringing 5 gigawatts of renewable energy near some suppliers, funding tree planting beyond its offset needs and sharing data or forging partnerships with 500 governments around the world to try to cut 1 gigaton of carbon emissions annually by 2030.

Google said it would continue to offset carbon emissions unrelated to electricity use, such as from employee travel.

Its carbon-free electricity goal satisfies one demand of 2,000 Google employees who last November petitioned the company to stop selling data storage and other cloud computing tools to oil companies.

Pichai said the company would continue to "support everyone" with its cloud services and help oil and gas companies transition to tapping other sources.

Alphabet Inc's Google aims to power its data centers and offices solely with renewable energy by 2030, its chief executive told Reuters, becoming the biggest company in the world to commit to ditching coal and natural gas power.

Alphabet Inc's Google aims to power its data centers and offices solely with renewable energy by 2030, its chief executive told Reuters, becoming the biggest company in the world to commit to ditching coal and natural gas power. The "stretch goal," as CEO Sundar Pichai described it, will force Google to move beyond the tech industry norm of offseting carbon emissions from electricity use and require technological and political breakthroughs to achieve. "The problem is so immense, many of us need to lead the way and show solutions," Pichai said. "We’re one small player in this but we can set an example." Also read: Google rallies YouTubers against Australian news payment plan Wildfires burning a record area in the western United States this month have increased public awareness of climate change, Pichai said, and Google wants to bring further attention through its new goal as well as product features. Wind, solar and other renewable sources accounted for 61% of Google's global hourly electricity usage last year. The proportion varied by facility, with carbon-free sources fulfilling 96% of hourly power needs at Google's wind-swept Oklahoma data center compared with 3% at its gas-reliant Singapore operation. But Google, which consumes slightly more power annually worldwide than residents and businesses in Delaware, has grown optimistic that it can bridge the gap with batteries to store solar power overnight, emerging sources such as geothermal reservoirs and better management of power needs. "To plan 24/7 hourly being carbon-free in our data centers and campuses around the world, we see an enormous logistics challenge, which is why we've been hard at work modeling the last year how to get there," Pichai said. "And we feel confident we can get there by 2030." Also read: TikTok tracked Android devices in direct violation of Google's policy He declined to share the likely cost of achieving the goal. Big Google rivals including Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc have targeted removing more carbon from the atmosphere than they emit over the coming decades, but none of them have publicly set a goal to stop sourcing carbon-based energy. But the companies share a common goal of catalyzing businesses and governments to curb climate pollution before 2030, when scientists say global warming could become catastrophic if unchecked. Jennifer Layke, global director at research group World Resources Institute, which has received Google funding, said the company inspired others in the United States and Europe over the last decade but its efforts must now spur action in crucial polluting regions such as China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. "If we can't shift from carbon, we will suffer the firestorms and the droughts," she said. Google has been carbon-neutral since 2007, meaning it has planted trees, bought carbon credits and funded large amounts of wind power in places where it is abundant to offset its tapping of coal and natural gas power in other regions. It also said Monday that its estimated 1 million metric tons of emissions between 2006 and its 1998 launch now have been offset. The company's new goals include bringing 5 gigawatts of renewable energy near some suppliers, funding tree planting beyond its offset needs and sharing data or forging partnerships with 500 governments around the world to try to cut 1 gigaton of carbon emissions annually by 2030. Google said it would continue to offset carbon emissions unrelated to electricity use, such as from employee travel. Its carbon-free electricity goal satisfies one demand of 2,000 Google employees who last November petitioned the company to stop selling data storage and other cloud computing tools to oil companies. Pichai said the company would continue to "support everyone" with its cloud services and help oil and gas companies transition to tapping other sources.

Google sets unprecedented goal to tap only renewable power by 2030

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