More RE projects seen by December
The Department of Energy aims to wipe out its backlog for all pending renewable energy (RE) applications by the end of 2013, increasing the number of projects lined up to help curb the country’s dependence on traditional and sometimes pollutive power sources, an official said.
“We are optimistic applications will be done by December,” Mario Marasigan, director of the DOE’s renewable energy management bureau, said in a text message.
From that time onward, only projects submitted during a certain month should be up for approval or denial, with no backlog left from previous months. This, Marasigan said, is to fast-track the implementation of the DOE’s RE program.
As of July 31, 2013, the DOE had awarded 347 projects (319 grid-use and 28 own-use projects) under RE law, or eight projects more than the 339 approved as of May 31, 2013.
The total potential capacity of RE project awarded as of July reached 5,905.326 megawatts (5,870.406 MW grid-use and 34.920 MW own-use). Installed capacity is at 2,334.79 MW (2,158.26 MW grid-use and 176.53 MW own-use).
As of July 31, there were 246 pending projects under the RE law (243 grid-use and three own-use projects) with 20.75 MW of installed capacity, all of biomass type. Overall potential capacity of various projects were at 3,301.89 MW (3,301.39 MW grid-use and 0.500 MW own-use) of potential capacity.
In the previous update as of May 31, there were 249 pending projects under the RE law (244 grid-use and 5 own-use projects) with 28.85 MW of installed capacity, all in biomass. Overall potential capacity of such projects was at 3,073.52 MW (3,073.32 MW grid-use and 0.200 MW own-use) of potential capacity.
About half of fuel inputs for power generation in the Philippines already come from renewable energy, mostly from hydropower. This is due to the relative ease and low cost in tapping this abundant resource, compared to the still more expensive technologies for wind or solar power, according to energy experts.
