Monday, August 19, 2013

Renewable energy firm sets work on solar plant


Business World Online
Posted on August 19, 2013 10:21:21 PM

SOLARUS Partners, Inc. plans to start construction of its 12-megawatt (MW) solar power project in South Cotabato next year, an official of the renewable energy resource developer said in a recent interview at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

  “We’re in the process of securing all the permits. So we’re looking at next year for the construction, in the first quarter,” Tetchi C. Capellan, Solarus managing director, said on Thursday last week when asked for updates on the project.

“Installation of the solar panels will take around six to eight weeks. 

That’s fast, actually. It’s the permitting [sic] that takes time,” she explained.

Ms. Capellan said that the company is currently working on securing an environmental compliance certificate from the Environment department and permits from the local government.

The official said that a solar project costs “$2-2.5 million per MW.”

Last June South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SOCOTECO I) received its board’s approval to secure a portion of its power requirements from the 12-MW project that will be developed by Solarus.

The 12-MW solar power plant, which will be located in the municipality of Surralah, is expected to produce at least 18.361 gigawatt-hours of electricity every year.

SOCOTECO I distributes electricity to Koronadal City and the municipalities of Tampakan, Tantangan, Banga, Surralah, Sto. NiƱo, Norala, Lake Sebu, T’boli in South Cotabato; as well as the municipality of Lutayan in Sultan Kudarat.

Besides its project in Mindanao, Solarus has also plans for solar power projects in several areas in the Visayas.

“We are focusing on solar projects and there are a lot in the pipeline,” Ms. Capellan said.

“There are about four electric cooperatives in Visayas that we are in talks with,” she added, even as she refused to identify the distributors.

Ms. Capellan said capacities of the projects are not yet final, but these will be “at least 1-MW each.”

“There are also big megawatt sizes like in SOCOTECO I. But I couldn’t disclose right now,” she said.

Solarus Partners has also partnered with the Bank of the Philippine Islands for a 2.5-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system in one of the bank’s branches in Makati City.

The company is also studying possible installation of similar solar-based systems at the bank’s branches on Boracay island, Aklan and El Nido, Palawan, Ms. Capellan said. --Claire-Ann Marie C. Feliciano   source

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