Business World Online
Posted on November 11, 2012 09:53:20 PM
RECOMMENDATIONS for reallocation of installation targets for renewable energy may be expected early next year after the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) holds consultations with stakeholders.
"Our target is to give the recommendation for the reallocation to the Energy department in early 2013. We have just asked the technical committee to set up a meeting with developers and other stakeholders so we can talk to them," said NREB Chairman Pedro H. Maniego in an interview at the sidelines of a forum in Makati last week.
It might take until the end of the year to consult stakeholders, he said. Once the recommendation is given to the Energy department, the agency will approve the new installation targets.
The Energy department said on Nov. 1 that the agency was mulling the reallocation of the 760-megawatt (MW) target for renewable energy due to the oversubscription of solar and wind projects. The installation targets limit the number and capacity of projects for each renewable technology. Installation targets are used as a basis for the feed-in tariff.
Currently, hydropower and biomass projects are allocated 250 MW each. There’s a 200 MW cap for wind power, 50 MW for solar power, and 10 MW for ocean power.
The Energy department said installation targets for wind projects could increase by 50 MW to 60 MW and 30 MW for solar.
"The reallocation really depends on the stakeholders because we need to know if developers will be able to develop their projects in three years. If for example biomass proponents are able to develop [projects] then they will be using most of the capacity they have been assigned," said Mr. Maniego.
Reallocation will not affect long-term estimates for renewable energy because certain technologies like biomass have a high capacity factor, or the actual output of a power plant over a period, which means even if installation targets are reallocated and lessened, some technologies will still be able to develop in the long-term.
The NREB said reallocation should also not affect the final feed-in tariff charges for consumers.
Solar power developers have complained over what they consider as a low installation limit even before the feed-in tariff was approved last July 27.
The developers had said many companies were prepared to develop projects but would have suffer delays anew because these may no longer be accommodated by the 50-MW limit.
The feed-in tariff is a guaranteed payment granted to renewable energy investors through a universal charge. Approved feed-in tariffs are P5.90/kilowatt-hour (kWh) for hydropower, P6.63/kWh for biomass, P8.53/kWh for wind power, and P9.68/kWh for solar.
The Energy Regulatory Commission held off on issuing feed-in tariff rates for ocean technology citing the need for additional studies. -- Emilia Narni J. David source
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