DOE plans solar roofs for schools

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Energy (DOE) is targeting to implement a solar rooftop project in different schools all over the country by March to have it ready in time for the opening of school in June, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said.

Initially, the project will cover seven schools but by 2015, the department is eyeing to have all private schools in Metro Manila equipped with solar panels.

Under the project, a solar energy developer would go the DOE, which would then assign it a certain school for solar installation. The school will pay the developer the cost of solar electricity of P9.50 per kilowatt-hour.

In the Meralco franchise area, a total of 270 megawatts in solar capacity are needed to cover all private schools.

“The target is by 2015, we would be able to cover all private schools in Metro Manila. I see no reason why this cannot be successful,” Petilla said.

He said that the electricity generation from the planned solar installations would cost P9.50 per kwh, cheaper than the average rate charged by Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), of P11.50 per kwh.

The DOE is counting on renewable energy to help address a tight power supply situation in Luzon by 2015 as a result of a growing economy and the lack of power plants to cope with demand.

In December last year, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the disbursement and collection guidelines for the so-called Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) system, a move seen to support the renewable energy sector.

The National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) said the guidelines, approved in December, along with efforts of the Department of Energy, would encourage players to build more solar, wind, biomass and run-of-river hydro power plants.

According to NREB, the FIT policy has attracted over $800 million in direct investments and aided rural economies by creating over 3,500 construction jobs across the Philippines.

The government has been encouraging players in the renewable energy sector through FIT.

The FIT regime is a form of incentives for renewable energy players.

Feed-in tariffs offer cost-based compensation to renewable energy players among other perks.

The FIT rate approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the power regulator are as follows: P9.68 per kilowatt-hour for solar; P8.53 per kwh for wind, P6.63 per kwh for biomass and P5.90 per kwh for hydropower projects.