Resy Ordona Villanueva

Investment in sustainable energy sources is one of the climate mitigation strategies that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector. However, in developing countries, investment is challenged by high capital expenditures and several uncertainties. This paper aims to provide decision support for investment in sustainable energy projects by evaluating the comparative attractiveness of shifting energy sources from fossil fuels to renewables and nuclear. Applying the real options approach (ROA), this paper calculates the value of the flexibility to postpone the investment decision and identifies the optimal timing (described here as the trigger price of coal) for shifting to sustainable energy sources. Then, various uncertainties are considered, such as coal and electricity prices, negative externality of using fossil fuels, and the risk of a nuclear accident, which are modelled using geometric Brownian motion, Poisson process, and Bernoulli probability. Applying the ROA model in the case of the Philippines, results find that investing in sustainable energy is a better option than continuing to use coal for electricity generation. However, contrary to conventional option valuation result that waiting is a better strategy, this study found that delaying or postponing the investment decisions may lead to possible opportunity losses. Among the available sustainable energy sources, geothermal is the most attractive with trigger prices of coal equal to USD 49.95/ton, followed by nuclear (USD 58.55/ton), wind (USD 69.48/ton), solar photovoltaic (USD 72.04/ton), and hydropower (USD 111.14/ton). Also, the occurrence of jump (extreme) prices of coal, raising the current feed-in-tariff, and considering negative externalities can decrease the trigger prices, which favor investments in sustainable energies. Moreover, the risk of a nuclear disaster favors investment in renewable energy sources over nuclear due to the huge damage costs once an accident occurs. Results provide bases for policy recommendations toward achieving a more secure and sustainable energy sector for developing countries that are highly dependent on imported fossil fuels.

The Philippines is moving towards a more sustainable public transport system by introducing a public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program with electric jeepneys (e-jeepneys) and modernized diesel jeepneys. Despite its potential to address problems related to air pollution, traffic congestion, dependence on fuel imports, and carbon emissions, transport groups show resistance to the adoption of the government program due to costs and investment risk issues. This study aims to guide transport operators in making investment decisions between the modernized diesel jeepney and the e-jeepney fleet. Applying the real options approach (ROA), this research evaluates option values and optimal investment strategies under uncertainties in diesel prices, jeepney base fare price, electricity prices, and government subsidy. The optimization results reveal a better opportunity to invest in the e-jeepney fleet in all scenarios analyzed. Results also show a more optimal decision strategy to invest in the e-jeepney immediately in the current business environment, as delaying or postponing investment may incur opportunity losses. To make the adoption of the e-jeepney more attractive to transport operators, this study further suggests government actions to increase the amount of subsidy and base fares, establish public charging stations, and continue efforts to rely on cleaner, cheaper, and renewable sources of electricity.