GUIMARAS Gov. Samuel T. Gumarin said the island-province is “off limits” to coal and other dirty sources of energy as he vowed to make the province the renewable-energy capital of the Western Visayas region.
Backed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and other local officials in the province, Gumarin made the policy pronouncement in front of various stakeholders at the barangay hall grounds of Suclaran, San Lorenzo town in Guimaras.
The declaration made Guimaras the first coal-free province in the Western Visayas region.
“We want to show the world that we don’t need dirty energy to power development. The people of Guimaras have embraced renewables over dirty, polluting energy. We want to show that a sustainable-development path, powered by renewable energy, is not only possible, but more viable. And we hope that our humble example will resonate to other provinces and to the world,” Gumarin said.
The San Lorenzo wind farm, the first ever in the Visayas, has been operational since 2014.
There are plans to expand the province’s renewable-energy production capacity with additional 40 megawatts in Barangay Sebaste in the town of Sibunag.
The power generated from the wind farm is directed to the grid and shared with member-consumers across Luzon and the Visayas through the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
With the 40-megawatt expansion, the operators of the wind farms are expected to be able to also cover the energy demands of its neighboring province, Iloilo.
Guimaras has had a long history of resistance to fossil fuels.
In 2006 it experienced a devastating oil spill after M/T Solar 1, operated by Petron Corp. and Sunshine Maritime Development Corp., sank off the waters of Panay Gulf. In 2010 Guimaras took a strong position against a coal-fired power plant being proposed at that time in Barangay Ingore, Iloilo City, which would have had very adverse effects on the health and economy of the people in Guimaras, especially their world-famous mango industry.
Since then, Guimaras has transformed itself into a community that has embraced wind power as their energy of choice.
In a statement supporting the policy, Mayor Nimfa G. Gajo of San Lorenzo said: “Our people here in San Lorenzo know the benefits of harnessing the blessings of nature to power our development. Here, we have no coal, thus the absence of all the ills and harms dirty energy brings with it. Today is a victory for our people and our municipality and, I believe, for the whole of Guimaras.”
The Rainbow Warrior, as part of its Climate Justice Ship Tour in the Philippines, went to Guimaras to highlight the power of people to rise up against the devastating impacts of climate change, according to Greenpeace Southeast Asia Philippines.
During the event, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Executive Director Naderev Saño and Climate Reality Project Philippines Country Manager Rodne Galicha presented the provincial government and the municipal government of San Lorenzo a wood plaque in recognition of their effort to go for renewable energy.
In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Saño and Galicha lauded the local officials of the province for declaring the province “off limits” to coal and other dirty sources of energy.
They said other provinces should also consider going green and turn their backs on coal and other dirty sources of energy.
Saño said renewable energy, like those generated by the wind and the sun, are now cheaper than coal and will continue to challenge coal fired-power plants.
“The issue now is no longer about the cost because solar and wind are now cheaper than coal. We have the technology, we have investors willing to invest in the Philippines and we have local government units, such as Guimaras, willing to say no to coal and other dirty-energy sources,” he said.
In his message, he called on other stakeholders to stand up for Mother Nature “because we need to be able to hand down a healthy and sustainable planet for our future generations.”
He said local governments like Guimaras are standing up to break free from fossil fuels.
“Our vision is the same as the vision of the province of Guimaras. Renewable energy is powering this part of the world, and Guimaras is leading the way. It makes us proud to be Filipinos. This is the kind of leadership the world needs right now,” he said.
Galicha said there is no more reason the government should not say no to coal, saying the right policies are already in place, as well as affordable technology the country can avail itself of.
“It is up to the government to embrace renewable energy and turn its back on coal,” Galicha said.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines said the Rainbow Warrior’s stop in Guimaras gives focus to the initiatives of communities in their resistance against coal and rising up to the renewable-energy challenge that should encourage other communities and local government units to do the same.
Galicha said solutions to the climate crisis are already available. He said provinces, cities and municipalities—and even small communities – are already speaking up and sending a strong message that renewable energy is the right way toward genuine development that is sustainable and they are committed to a 100-percent coal-free living.
“This is adherence to sustainable development goals [SDGs] the Paris Agreement, and beyond, for a safe future and healthy planet,” Galicha said.
“The commitment to go coal-free means the whole of Guimaras is pursuing a sustainable development path and is a clear manifestation of communities themselves taking the lead toward reclaiming their rights to a healthy environment and stable climate,” said Khevin Yu, Climate and Energy Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines.
With the abundance of renewable-energy sources in the Philippines, such as wind and solar, coupled with the decreasing prices of renewable-energy technology, Greenpeace and other civil-society organizations are calling for a halt on new coal and urging the rest of the country to follow the example of Guimaras.
“[Having] additional coal plants means we will have a bigger problem in limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. We need to stop coal locally, and this is what Guimaras is doing now,” Yu added.
As the province welcomed the Rainbow Warrior, the ship’s crew and their captain, Hettie Geenen, expressed their appreciation of, and support for, the staunch determination of the people of Guimaras to stand up to the big fossil-fuel industry.
“We are now seeing very clearly that those who are least responsible for climate change are bearing the brunt of its impacts. But our visit here to the Philippines has shown us that even a resilient people will not take this sitting down. By the very act of being coal-free, Guimaras sets itself as a national and global leader in ending the age of coal and embracing the benefits of renewables,” Captain Geenen said.
The Rainbow Warrior’s tour in the Philippines, dubbed as “Balangaw: The Climate Justice Ship Tour”, is part of its five-month “Climate Change and People Power” tour of Southeast Asia. The Philippine leg started from February 14 to 18 in Manila, followed by a protest action at the Shell Batangas refinery on February 21. From Guimaras, the ship will sail to Tacloban in Eastern Visayas, arriving on February 28 and staying until March 4, before it sails on to Indonesia.
(For solar energy solutions and supplies visit our website: www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com)
Reference:
Mayuga, J. L. (February 25, 2018). Business Mirror.
2018/02/19
On grid solar and net metering in the Philippines
Illustration of an on-grid solar system
In a nutshell on grid solar is about producing electricity without the battery as storage. Conventional solar technology dictates that to be able to produce and have a stable supply (stable supply in this sense means non-erratic, continuous) the system needs a battery.
But this is not the case for an on-grid solar system, see illustration.
On-grid technology dishes out the need for a battery. The system is installed with a device called on-grid inverter. The on-grid inverter directly converts the DC electricity produced by solar panels into AC electricity and synchronizes it with the grid frequency so that it match the grid. The on-grid now acts as a parallel source of electricity. When the on grid system parallels the utility electricity from the grid (e.g. Meralco), the on grid system automatically becomes the primary source of electricity. Whenever the on grid system becomes the primary source of electricity, utility (Meralco) decreases the input supply. In the case that the house or building consumes less electricity than it needs the electricity flows out of the building and into the grid or Meralco.
The flowing out of electricity from a private building (house) is allowed in the Philippines by virtue of RA 9513 or the Renewable Act of 2008. The flowing out of electricity is called net metering in the Philippines. The electricity that flowed out of the building will be paid by the utility or by Meralco in the form of bill credit in next month billing. See below for sample of Meralco bill with a Net Metering.
Note the black box, 251 kWh was exported (flows out) from the house, with this amount of electricity flowing out, it is credited with P1147.72
On grid solar is the most economical way in using solar power systems and net metering is one of the financial incentives why on grid solar is the way to go.
(For solar energy solutions and supplies visit our website: www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com)
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONNECTIONS TO A UTILITY GRID AND NET METERING
Although some homeowners have only a photovoltaic system attached to their home, many solar-powered homes and businesses are connected to transmission power lines outside their homes and businesses. The transmission lines are part of a grid system owned by a utility company. Using grid-connected photovoltaic power can have economic as well as environmental advantages for the homeowner.
Because such homeowners are using much of their electricity from their own photovoltaic system, the amount of electricity they have to purchase from the utility company each month is reduced. In this cooperative arrangement, the homeowners get some of their power from their photovoltaic systems and some from the utility company’s grid.
What Is Net Metering?
Net metering is a simple way of metering the energy consumed and produced at a home or business that has its own renewable energy generator, such as a solar energy system.
Net metering enables homeowners to use their own generation of electricity to off set their consumption over a billing period by allowing their electric meters to turn backward when they generate electricity in excess of their demand. Th is program means that customers receive retail prices from their electrical utility company for the excess electricity they generate. A retail price is the price at which a utility company sells the electrical power to a homeowner or other consumer.
Without net metering, a second meter is usually installed to measure the electricity that flows back to the provider, a utility company that purchases the power at a rate much lower than the retail rate. As of 2010, net metering for homeowners is available in 42 states.
John F. Mongillo
A Student Guide to Energy
Copyright 2011
Greenwood Publishing Group
Volume 2 Solar Energy and Hydrogen Fuel Cells
(For solar energy solutions and supplies visit our website: www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com)
Because such homeowners are using much of their electricity from their own photovoltaic system, the amount of electricity they have to purchase from the utility company each month is reduced. In this cooperative arrangement, the homeowners get some of their power from their photovoltaic systems and some from the utility company’s grid.
What Is Net Metering?
Net metering is a simple way of metering the energy consumed and produced at a home or business that has its own renewable energy generator, such as a solar energy system.
Net metering enables homeowners to use their own generation of electricity to off set their consumption over a billing period by allowing their electric meters to turn backward when they generate electricity in excess of their demand. Th is program means that customers receive retail prices from their electrical utility company for the excess electricity they generate. A retail price is the price at which a utility company sells the electrical power to a homeowner or other consumer.
Without net metering, a second meter is usually installed to measure the electricity that flows back to the provider, a utility company that purchases the power at a rate much lower than the retail rate. As of 2010, net metering for homeowners is available in 42 states.
John F. Mongillo
A Student Guide to Energy
Copyright 2011
Greenwood Publishing Group
Volume 2 Solar Energy and Hydrogen Fuel Cells
(For solar energy solutions and supplies visit our website: www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com)
2018/02/17
Senate OKs bills on energy efficiency, system loss cap
Danessa Rivera (Philippine Star)
07 February 2018
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has passed two bills that will advance energy efficiency and conservation practices in the country and reduce the amount of system loss being passed on to electricity consumers.
The two measures, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act of 2018 (Senate Bill 1531) and Recoverable System Loss Act (Senate Bill 1623), were sponsored by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian who chairs the Committee on Energy.
Senate Bill 1531 lays down a solid foundation for a comprehensive energy efficiency and conservation policy that would mandate the efficient and judicious use of energy resources and promote the development and utilization of both new and alternative sources of energy efficient technologies and systems.
“We are helping shape the consciousness of our consumers, including the government, through a change in the policy regime regulating energy consumption. The strategies detailed in this measure are all poised to provide not only savings for the government but also more money in people’s pockets,” Gatchalian said.
He said if the country’s energy efficiency reaches half as that of Germany — one of the most energy efficient countries in the world – then the country could save around P1.6 trillion from 2018 to 2030 or P126.4 billion on the average annually.
Reaching fully similar energy efficiency standards with that of Germany could result, on the other hand, in estimated savings of P420 billion yearly or around P5.5 trillion over the same period. The measure mandates the creation of a National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan that defines national targets, details feasible strategies, and imposes a regular monitoring and evaluation system. It will also create a National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Database which will store all relevant information about energy consumption and the application of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies.
The measure would also institutionalize the energy efficiency and conservation standards and strategies in local governance through the creation of a Local Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan and the inclusion of Guidelines on Energy Conserving Design on Buildings in the issuance of building permits.
To further encourage complete compliance to the energy standards to be proposed, the measure would include incentives as well as technical assistance from government agencies.
An Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee will also be created to provide strategic directions in the implementation of the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP), a program to reduce monthly consumption of electricity and petroleum products by the government. Once ratified, the Department of Energy (DOE) shall be the lead government agency tasked to ensure the proper implementation of this measure.
On the other hand, Senate Bill 1623 seeks to lower the present system loss caps prescribed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in accordance with Republic Act 7832, from 8.5 percent to five percent for private distribution utilities (DUs), and from 13 percent to 10 percent for electric cooperatives (ECs).
It was in 2010 when the ERC last reduced system loss rates.
“Power consumers are being forced to shoulder excessive charges from these losses, which electric companies should be taking care of in the first place,” Gatchalian said.
According to a 2017 World Bank report, the Philippines has one of the highest average system losses in East Asia at 9.4 percent in 2014, as compared to countries like Korea with 3.3 percent and Singapore with two percent.
Under this bill, the ERC will be mandated to conduct a periodic review every three years to determine whether the caps should be reduced further, based on load density, sales mix, cost of service, delivery voltage and other technical considerations. It shall also devise a Performance Incentive Scheme (PIV) for DUs to further encourage system loss reduction.
The ERC shall also conduct an annual review of system loss charges to ensure that only allowable costs within the caps stipulated are being recovered. The review shall be based from the quarterly mandatory report submissions by the DUs to ERC, which should contain their segregated system losses.
Power distributors that will fail to comply will be subjected to fines of P300,000 for the first violation, P400,000 for the second violation and a P500,000 fine on the third violation.
he measure also imposes penalties for false or fraudulent information submitted by the DUs in the form of P1 million fine on the first offense, P2 million on the second offense and P3 million fine on the third offense, with an automatic recommendation by the ERC to the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC) for the revocation of the DU’s franchise.
2018/02/14
Senate OKs bills on energy efficiency, system loss cap
Danessa Rivera (Philippine Star)
07 February 2018
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has passed two bills that will advance energy efficiency and conservation practices in the country and reduce the amount of system loss being passed on to electricity consumers.
The two measures, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act of 2018 (Senate Bill 1531) and Recoverable System Loss Act (Senate Bill 1623), were sponsored by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian who chairs the Committee on Energy.
Senate Bill 1531 lays down a solid foundation for a comprehensive energy efficiency and conservation policy that would mandate the efficient and judicious use of energy resources and promote the development and utilization of both new and alternative sources of energy efficient technologies and systems.
“We are helping shape the consciousness of our consumers, including the government, through a change in the policy regime regulating energy consumption. The strategies detailed in this measure are all poised to provide not only savings for the government but also more money in people’s pockets,” Gatchalian said.
He said if the country’s energy efficiency reaches half as that of Germany — one of the most energy efficient countries in the world – then the country could save around P1.6 trillion from 2018 to 2030 or P126.4 billion on the average annually.
Reaching fully similar energy efficiency standards with that of Germany could result, on the other hand, in estimated savings of P420 billion yearly or around P5.5 trillion over the same period.
The measure mandates the creation of a National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan that defines national targets, details feasible strategies, and imposes a regular monitoring and evaluation system. It will also create a National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Database which will store all relevant information about energy consumption and the application of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies.
The measure would also institutionalize the energy efficiency and conservation standards and strategies in local governance through the creation of a Local Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan and the inclusion of Guidelines on Energy Conserving Design on Buildings in the issuance of building permits.
To further encourage complete compliance to the energy standards to be proposed, the measure would include incentives as well as technical assistance from government agencies.
An Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee will also be created to provide strategic directions in the implementation of the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP), a program to reduce monthly consumption of electricity and petroleum products by the government.
Once ratified, the Department of Energy (DOE) shall be the lead government agency tasked to ensure the proper implementation of this measure.
On the other hand, Senate Bill 1623 seeks to lower the present system loss caps prescribed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in accordance with Republic Act 7832, from 8.5 percent to five percent for private distribution utilities (DUs), and from 13 percent to 10 percent for electric cooperatives (ECs).
It was in 2010 when the ERC last reduced system loss rates.
“Power consumers are being forced to shoulder excessive charges from these losses, which electric companies should be taking care of in the first place,” Gatchalian said.
According to a 2017 World Bank report, the Philippines has one of the highest average system losses in East Asia at 9.4 percent in 2014, as compared to countries like Korea with 3.3 percent and Singapore with two percent. Under this bill, the ERC will be mandated to conduct a periodic review every three years to determine whether the caps should be reduced further, based on load density, sales mix, cost of service, delivery voltage and other technical considerations. It shall also devise a Performance Incentive Scheme (PIV) for DUs to further encourage system loss reduction.
The ERC shall also conduct an annual review of system loss charges to ensure that only allowable costs within the caps stipulated are being recovered. The review shall be based from the quarterly mandatory report submissions by the DUs to ERC, which should contain their segregated system losses.
Power distributors that will fail to comply will be subjected to fines of P300,000 for the first violation, P400,000 for the second violation and a P500,000 fine on the third violation.
The measure also imposes penalties for false or fraudulent information submitted by the DUs in the form of P1 million fine on the first offense, P2 million on the second offense and P3 million fine on the third offense, with an automatic recommendation by the ERC to the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC) for the revocation of the DU’s franchise.
Administrative sanctions shall also be handed down to ERC officials who failed to discharge their responsibilities or comply with the requirements detailed in the measure.
(For solar energy solutions in the Philippines visit our website www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com for more details.)
2018/02/12
Meralco to implement P1.08 per kwh rate hike in 2 tranches
Arra B. Francia, BusinessWorld online edition
February 10, 2018
MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) will implement its P1.08 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) rate hike for the February billing in two tranches.
In a statement on Friday, the country’s largest distribution utility said it will increase electricity rates by 75 centavos per kWh in this month’s billing. The remaining 30% or a 33-centavo increase will be included in the March billing.
Meralco said the power rate hike is being implemented in two tranches, “cognizant of the fact that there were recent price increases on fuel and other basic commodities.”
The overall February rate will now stand at P9.47 per kWh, compared to P8.72 per kWh in January.
With this, households consuming 200 kWh a month will see a P150 increase in their monthly bills. Households that consume 300 kWh, 400 kWh, and 500 kWh will see an increase of P225, P300, and P375, respectively in February.
Meralco attributed this month’s increase in generation charges to higher charges from plants under Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Meralco said the generation charge increased by P0.8469 to P4.6548 per kWh in February, from P4.0768 per kWh in the previous month. However, the February billing will only reflect a P0.5780 per kWh hike, with the balance implemented in the March bill.
“The return to normal levels of capacity fees, particularly Pagbilao and Ilijan, was the main reason for the P1.7067 per kWh increase in PSA charges, to be reflected this February,” the company said.
Meanwhile, charges from IPPs rose by P0.3430 centavos per kWh, which the company attributed to the peso depreciation as well as higher Malampaya natural gas prices due to quarterly repricing and lower average plant dispatch.
A total of 40.6% of Meralco’s energy requirements were sourced from PSAs, while 40.7% came from IPPs. The remaining 18.7% of Meralco’s power requirements came from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESMmonth, where charges decreased by P0.0041 per kWh on lower power demand in the Luzon grid.
Previously, Meralco reduced electricity rates in January and December due to lower charges from supply contracts and at the spot market.
Transmission charge of residential customers meanwhile fell by P0.0372 per kWh, which goes directly to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. Taxes and other charges, which are remitted to the government, rose by P0.2092 per kWh this month.
“Meralco’s distribution, supply, and metering charges have remained unchanged for 31 months, after these registered reductions in July 2015,” the company said.
Electricity contributes 4.51% to the theoretical basket of basic goods and services used by a typical Filipino household on which annual inflation is computed.
(For solar enegry solutions and supplies visit our website: www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com)
SOLAR STORAGE
The biggest problem of solar power technologies is how to store the power generated for those times when sunlight is unavailable. Currently, most solar power plants do not have the capability to store excess energy from sunny days to be used on cloudy days. One option is to use a storage battery bank that will collect and store power anytime the system is producing more energy than is needed.
Photovoltaic to Battery Storage
A storage battery is an excellent system for supplying electricity when and where it is needed on non-sunny days when solar power is not available. Photovoltaic systems with a backup battery storage unit are used to provide electricity for power tools, lights, home appliances, telephones, and televisions. Photovoltaic/battery systems work well in remote areas where utility power is unavailable or at a distance that is so far away that it would be too costly to install utility transmission lines to a building.
Although batteries make photovoltaic systems more useful, they also require some maintenance. Th e batteries used in photovoltaic systems are referred to as deep-cycling batteries, the kinds that are used on many golf carts. Th e batteries are bigger than the typical car battery. Th ese kinds of batteries allow more stored energy for use each day.
Batteries designed for photovoltaic projects need to be handled with care. Th e fl uid needs to be checked in unsealed batteries periodically.
John F. Mongillo
A Student Guide to Energy
Copyright 2011
Greenwood Publishing Group
Volume 2 Solar Energy and Hydrogen Fuel Cells
(For solar energy solutions and supplies visit our website: www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com)
Photovoltaic to Battery Storage
A storage battery is an excellent system for supplying electricity when and where it is needed on non-sunny days when solar power is not available. Photovoltaic systems with a backup battery storage unit are used to provide electricity for power tools, lights, home appliances, telephones, and televisions. Photovoltaic/battery systems work well in remote areas where utility power is unavailable or at a distance that is so far away that it would be too costly to install utility transmission lines to a building.
Although batteries make photovoltaic systems more useful, they also require some maintenance. Th e batteries used in photovoltaic systems are referred to as deep-cycling batteries, the kinds that are used on many golf carts. Th e batteries are bigger than the typical car battery. Th ese kinds of batteries allow more stored energy for use each day.
Batteries designed for photovoltaic projects need to be handled with care. Th e fl uid needs to be checked in unsealed batteries periodically.
John F. Mongillo
A Student Guide to Energy
Copyright 2011
Greenwood Publishing Group
Volume 2 Solar Energy and Hydrogen Fuel Cells
(For solar energy solutions and supplies visit our website: www.eastgreenfields.com or email us at inquiry@eastgreenfields.com)
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