I used to think the Philippines was behind on clean energy. Turns out we were 50 years ahead.
For nearly 4 decades, we held the #2 spot in geothermal energy production globally, right behind the United States. It started from desperation during the 1970s oil crisis, when a Filipino scientist first proved that volcanic steam could actually generate electricity. Indonesia only overtook us in 2018.
Geothermal is clean, runs 24/7, and doesn't depend on weather. At its peak, it powered 17% of our national grid. Today, AI data centers have an enormous and growing appetite for exactly this kind of power, making geothermal relevant all over again.
For a country that figured this out in the 1970s, the Philippines remains one of the most underrated players in the clean energy transition. The foundation is already there. The story just needs more people telling it.
