As the country faces an energy crisis prompted by the ongoing war in the Middle East, it is being urged to tap forest resources as an alternative and sustainable energy source, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Monday.
DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) Director Rico J. Cabangon made the statement, noting that forest-based sustainability stems from the fact that it can regenerate, unlike conventional energy sources.
“This is a renewable energy. So, as long as you plant biomass, you can use that for energy generation,” Mr. Cabangon said in an interview during the first day of DOST-FPRDI’s Earth Day 2026 in Filipino.
Mr. Cabangon said the agency has developed various forest-based energy sources, such as bamboo pellets, a densified form of bamboo designed for optimum combustion for different use cases.
“This can be co-generated with coal so that we are not too dependent on coal, which is not renewable,” he said. Coal accounted for the majority of electricity generated in the country, at about 61.92% in 2023, energy think tank Ember said.
Bamboo pellets are more energy efficient than other biomass materials like wood chips, which can generate as much as 12.15 gigajoules or 277 kilowatt-hours for every cubic meter of pellets, the DOST-FPRDI said in a separate statement.
They were also found to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the agency’s study, which aligns with the country’s climate change mitigation efforts.
The pellets are also lightweight and easy to transport, with diameters of around 9 to 12 millimeters (mm) and lengths of 20 to 30 mm.
Mr. Cabangon said the agency has also developed charcoal briquettes that are ideal for household use. He added that the agency recently visited Davao de Oro last week to identify a potential adopter in the region.
“That can be used in our small-grid energy sources in Davao,” he said. “The energy generated from the biomass.”
The charcoal briquette is likewise positioned as an alternative combustible fuel, made from a combined mix of charcoal fines and binder, then molded under pressure, the DOST-FPRDI said.
It also promises to burn slowly, resulting in higher heat per unit volume while producing no smoke.
Moving forward, Mr. Cabangon said the agency is further exploring alternative fuel sources made from bamboo, recognizing its fast-growing ability and higher carbon dioxide absorption, making it an ideal biomass fuel.
The DOST-FPRDI is the government research agency that spearheads the development of innovations and technologies for the sustainable use and processing of forest products in the country. — Edg Adrian A. Eva


