Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as both a game-changer and a growing concern for the global energy sector, experts said at the 11th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC) organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
Dr. Marnie Shaw, associate professor and deputy director at The Australian National University, described AI as an “orchestrator” for highly distributed energy systems, citing Australia’s experience where one in three households now has rooftop solar.
“AI is very helpful for that task because it’s so good at forecasting,” Shaw said, pointing to its role in balancing supply and demand across households, communities, and grid networks.
But she cautioned against the risks of poor governance, warning of “lack of transparency, biased or poor training data, inequality impacts, and value-insensitive decision making.”
She urged policymakers not to overregulate AI at the expense of innovation.
From the academic perspective, Dr. Roy Francis Navea of De La Salle University stressed AI’s importance in addressing the “energy trilemma” of security, equity, and sustainability.
“Traditionally, these goals have been viewed as trade-offs, but current pressure requires simultaneous advancement in all three areas,” he said.
Navea noted AI’s potential for predictive maintenance, grid optimization, and renewable integration, while also flagging the paradox of its energy-intensive data centers.
Bringing in an industry view, Schneider Electric Philippines’ Norman Ocaña III underscored AI’s massive energy footprint.
“Each Generative AI query requires 10 times more energy than your typical Google search,” he said, highlighting the need for renewable energy expansion, support for on-site generation, and open-source power management standards.
He noted that Schneider Electric already uses AI to cut downtime and improve efficiency in manufacturing.
Former Energy Regulatory Commission chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta placed the debate within the Philippine context, linking AI to the country’s E-Governance Act and electrification drive.
She said AI-enabled hybrid systems could be key to powering the 250 islands that remain off-grid.
“If we are able to introduce that flexibility of AI, then we will increase the ability to electrify these islands and really promote development in a more inclusive way,” she said.
Dimalanta concluded that AI’s role in the energy sector should ultimately be “assistive, accountable, and uplifting” to ensure inclusivity and sustainable development.
