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BACOLOD City – The Department of Energy (DOE) recently contended that the influx of solar power farms in Negros Occidental has caused line congestion contributory to frequent interruptions.
A climate and energy campaigner of Greenpeace, however, dismissed this contention.
The problem is not about the generation component of energy, said Reuben Muni during the Negros Clean Energy forum.
“We have to understand that the problem with brownouts in the province is not an issue of generation but rather an issue of transmission. According to solar experts, we lag behind in transmission rehabilitation,” he explained.
A present, Negros Occidental has solar generation capacity of 341.5 megawatts (MW) from five companies, operating seven plants, the highest in the Philippines. These are:
* San Carlos Sun Power, Inc. – 59-MW solar facility in San Carlos City
* Helios Solar Energy – 132.5-MW farm in Cadiz City, the largest in Southeast Asia
* Citicor Power – 25-MW project in Silay City
* Negros Island Solar Power – 48-MW and 32-MW farms in Manapla and La Carlota, respectively; and
* San Carlos Solar Energy – 45-MW facility in San Carlos City.
According to Muni, the entire Negros Island Region (NIR) can in fact become an entirely renewable energy region.
The NIR still has more opportunities in continuing the solar revolution by maximizing the use of solar rooftops, he stressed.
“We believe Negros can eventually become an entirely renewable region. If not totally solar, at least a combination of various green energy sources like wind and hydro,” Muni said.
The Negros Clean Energy forum was attended by various sector-representatives in the province and renewable energy advocate-groups in the country.
It was initiated by Greenpeace along with the Climate Reality Project Philippines and the City of Bacolod in collaboration with various groups.
Themed “Maximizing Solar Energy Potential of the Island,” the activity was part of promoting the Solar Rooftop Challenge campaign. (PNA)
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