ERC gives go-signed to 3 more RE projects

MANILA, Philippines - The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the country’s power sector watchdog, has issued certificates of compliance (COC) to three more renewable energy projects.

The ERC approved the issuance of individual COCs to the three renewable energy generating sets of Hacienda Bio-Energy Corp. (HBC). 

ERC chairman Zenaida Ducut said the generation faci-lities utilize methane gas derived from animal waste as fuel. 

The generating sets have an aggregate installed capacity of 500 kilowatts and are loca-ted in Boston Ridge Farm in Tarlac, and Panda Farm and Buenavista Farm in Bulacan. All three are hog farms. 

HBC owns, maintains, and operates over 60 renewable energy generating facilities in the Philippines out of which 18 have been issued COCs to date. 

HBC, a domestic corporation, engages in the treatment of waste to capture its biogas contents to be utilized as fuel for generators to operate the electric power plants. 

It was registered in June 2008 primarily for the purpose of providing services for renewable energy projects with emphasis in providing technical and other pertinent services for all sources of biogas, including small to large-scale hog farms and other livestock operations throughout the Philippines. 

HBC has fully complied with the documentary requirements set by the ERC for generation companies and was found to have satisfied all the environmental, technical and financial requirements. 

All three generating facilities were subjected to ERC’s inspection in January 2011. 

The ERC noted that since the generating facilities of HBC located in different parts of the country are not connected to the transmission and/or distribution grids, HBC is not subject to the 30 percent and 25 percent market share limitation. 

“ERC lauds HBC for its efforts in setting up, maintaining and operating over 60 renewable energy generating facilities in the Philippines,” Ducut said.

The ERC chief said HBC’s pioneering example in turning animal waste into other productive use such as for power generation is a big step towards the country’s efforts to achieve energy independence.