THE Department of Energy (DOE) is set to hold a series of bilateral meetings with the Ministry of Energy of Saudi Arabia to develop a roadmap on energy cooperation with the kingdom.
The meetings will implement the provisions of the cooperation under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the two parties last month.
DOE said in a statement yesterday the roadmap is expected to be finalized in three months.
“I welcome the joint efforts by both countries to implement the provisions of the MOU, which is a direct follow-through of the discussions held during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Saudi Arabia in October last year. During that visit, Saudi state-owned companies expressed strong interest in investing in the Philippine energy sector,” said DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla, in the statement.
The MOU outlines key areas of collaboration, including petroleum derivatives, native hydrogen exploration, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), digital technology for electrical systems management and energy efficiency, the DOE added.
Lotilla said Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his team expressed interest in the Philippines’ native or naturally occurring hydrogen resources.
“Given Saudi Arabia’s extensive expertise in the exploration and development of upstream sectors, this cooperation holds promising benefits for both countries,” Lotilla said.
Earlier this year, two prospect areas in Zambales were offered for hydrogen exploration.
Meanwhile, DOE said the Philippines, as the world’s second-largest coconut producer, could leverage the crop, especially those typically unsuitable for food, for oil production to support SAF production.
“We will also jointly explore the application of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the management of our electrical systems and broader energy infrastructure,” Lotilla said.
