Jul 16, 2026 · 1 hr 7 min · 12 segments
WEnergy Global founder, CEO, and board director Atem S. Ramsundersingh joins the Power Podcast to share the story behind the company's flagship microgrid project in Sabang, Palawan, and the years of…
Atem RamsundersinghGuest
Maya TanglaoHost
What was your very first encounter with the Philippine energy situation and what moved you to make your focus?
Well, you know, we knew when you work in Washington, when you work for the World Bank, you know what are the forces that are forming a risk for humanity.
Can we talk to each other across borders in a very efficient way? So these are the things that matter.
And for me, the move, the priority in the Philippines wasn't a surprise.
Because everywhere where every country has these three sort of embedded risks, where unfortunately politicians are giving it the lowest priority because it requires a long-term view.
To see that we were running our energy 14 years ago when I came to Philippines and talked about renewable energy, people were surprised that there were guys like me who believe that clean energy, rolling out of clean energy is possible.
You know, underestimating the energy security and not realizing that every minute the sun is sending a package of light on Earth for free.
And that science and technology are ready to capture that, capture it and convert it into electricity that can help us to grow, but also to make sure that we don't pollute We don't kill ourselves under the name of energy and energy security.
I'm glad to see that over the last 14 years, Philippines has made a lot of progress.
Three governments, all three pretty consistent, fairly consistent, I would say, in promoting clean energy.
But I think... politicians are starting to see the political economy of renewable energy, of clean energy, and about the energy crisis.
Today, more than ever, in all the countries, Philippines included, we see that energy security is the terminology we need to use and not cost-saving or climate change alone.
What was your very first encounter with the Philippine energy situation and what moved you to make your focus?
Well, you know, we knew when you work in Washington, when you work for the World Bank, you know what are the forces that are forming a risk for humanity.
Can we talk to each other across borders in a very efficient way? So these are the things that matter.
And for me, the move, the priority in the Philippines wasn't a surprise.
Because everywhere where every country has these three sort of embedded risks, where unfortunately politicians are giving it the lowest priority because it requires a long-term view.
To see that we were running our energy 14 years ago when I came to Philippines and talked about renewable energy, people were surprised that there were guys like me who believe that clean energy, rolling out of clean energy is possible.
You know, underestimating the energy security and not realizing that every minute the sun is sending a package of light on Earth for free.
And that science and technology are ready to capture that, capture it and convert it into electricity that can help us to grow, but also to make sure that we don't pollute We don't kill ourselves under the name of energy and energy security.
I'm glad to see that over the last 14 years, Philippines has made a lot of progress.
Three governments, all three pretty consistent, fairly consistent, I would say, in promoting clean energy.
But I think... politicians are starting to see the political economy of renewable energy, of clean energy, and about the energy crisis.
Today, more than ever, in all the countries, Philippines included, we see that energy security is the terminology we need to use and not cost-saving or climate change alone.
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