Stakeholders push for solar power

CEBU, Philippines - Stakeholders are united in pushing for sustainable and eco-friendly energy source for the country specifically solar power through net metering.

Net metering is defined as a service to an electric consumer under which electric energy generated by that electric consumer from an eligible onsite generating facility and delivered to the local distribution facilities may be used to offset electric energy provided by the electric utility to the electric consumer during the applicable billing period.

Yesterday, representatives from state and private institutions attended an information education communication drive that gathered local industry players in Cebu City.

Philippine Solar Power Alliance president Ma. Theresa “Tetchi” Capellan said the Philippines is blessed with a lot of sunlight, making it ideal for solar power as a sustainable renewable energy source.

“Solar energy is no longer expensive. If we notice, there has been a drop in panel price.... Solar is not a fad,” said Capellan who spoke in front of private and government power industry key players including MERALCO, VECO, Development Bank of the Philippines, National Renewable Energy Board (NREB), and Department of Energy.

Capellan further explained that net metering, the main focus of the gathering held at Quest Hotel, Cebu City, is the  lifeblood of solar power.

She added that the maximization of solar energy can address the growing concern in the power sector being one of the major contributors of greenhouse emission.

During her discussion, she emphasized that VECO is not charging the impact study, one of the major requirements in net metering as opposed to MERALCO, which initially charged P20,000 and eventually decreased to P5,000.

VECO Chief Operating Officer Sebastian Lacson explained that they made it free by virtue of a covenant between investor and the utility.

PSPA, through Capellan, wrote in December that the Energy Regulatory Commission and the House Committee on Energy to look into the high cost of net metering, which is hindering the growth of solar power installations.

Under net metering system, solar panel installed to households provide free converted electric energy during the day and when night time comes, service provider like VECO takes care of the power for night time.

Under the service developed by VECO, the first to offer net metering system in the Philippines, customers will be charged or credited with the difference between the energy the consumer uses from VECO and the solar energy he delivers and sells to VECO.

In the same forum, Sharon Montaner from the ERC Renewable Energy Technical Working Group explained the net metering rules and interconnection standards while DBP senior manager Rustico Noli Cruz discussed the financing of net metering projects.

Cruz bared that lease and loans are the two options that can be availed of at DBP for this venture. –/JMO (FREEMAN)