Senator pushes for more renewable projects
By Alena Mae S. Flores – August 20, 2023, 8:30 pm
from manilastandard.net
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for the development of more renewable energy projects to help bring down power costs and ensure energy sufficiency.
He cited data from Manila Electric Co. showing that RE plants provide the cheapest generation cost when compared to coal-fired and gas-fired power plants.
Coal plants had the highest generation cost in July at an average P8.0978 per kilowatt hour, compared to gas-fired power plants at P5.6636 per kWh and RE plants at P4.7052 per kWh.
The same data also showed that RE plants only contributed 7.69 percent of the total power purchased by Meralco last month.
“The data clearly show that the development of renewable energy would provide the most benefit for our consumers as it entails the lowest generation cost,” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian filed Senate Bill No.157 or the Energy Transition Act, which provides for the creation of an Energy Transition Plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and remove dependence on imported fuel.
Gatchalian said, however, the energy transition would require diversification of the country’s energy sources.
He also filed Senate Bill 485, An Act Enhancing The Implementation Of The Net-Metering Program, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act 9513, or The Renewable Act Of 2008.
The proposed legislation, designed to foster increased investments in the renewable energy sector, seeks to remove the 100-kilowatt ceiling on generation facilities that can participate in the net metering program.
Net metering allows participants with their own RE facilities to feed power back into the grid and have their contribution to the common pool of power deducted from their consumption.
Gatchalian said investors should also take advantage of a recent circular issued by the Department of Energy that removes limitations on foreign ownership of RE projects.
The circular effectively allows foreign nationals and foreign-owned entities to explore, develop and use RE resources such as solar, wind, biomass, ocean and tidal energy.
