Negros Oriental backs renewables

By Alena Mae S. Flores – August 22, 2018 at 07:20 pm
from manilastandard.net

Negros Oriental province vowed to continue to promote clean energy as more companies put up renewable energy projects in the province.

Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo said during the State of Nature Assessment organized by non-profit environmental group Green Convergence in partnership with the Forest Foundation of the Philippines and Energy Development Corp. that more hydropower plants were expected to be put up in the province.

Degamo said three separate hydro facilities would be put up in the municipality of Amlan with a total capacity of 5.5 megawatts, with the target testing and commissioning date of the first two in December 2020 and the final one in December 2025.

Degamo described himself as “an advocate of clean, renewable energy” and “a humble representative of the peace-loving and nature-loving people of Negros Oriental.”

Degamo reiterated his province’s stance against fossil fuel in power generation, with the issuance of Executive Order No. 9 in March mandating the use of clean and renewable energy in all 19 municipalities and six cities of Negros Oriental.

“This means that our local government will no longer issue any permit, authorization or endorsements that support development and operation of coal-fired and fossil-fuel power plants,” he said.

“The province is committed not to use coal as an energy source because of its impact on the environment, on health and global climate,” he said.