by Philippines News Agency September
17, 2016
Bacolod City – The
Negros Island Region (NIR) is being pushed by advocates to become an entirely
renewable energy region.
The idea was discussed
during the forum on Negros Clean Energy held at the Sangguniang Panlungsod
session hall here Thursday.
Reuben Muni, climate
and energy campaigner of Greenpeace, said the NIR still has more opportunities
in continuing the solar revolution by maximizing the use of solar rooftops.
A present, Negros
Occidental has solar generation capacity of 341.5 megawatts (MW) from five
companies operating seven plants, the highest in the Philippines.
San Carlos Sun Power,
Inc. has a 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 also in San Carlos City.
“We believe that Negros
can eventually become an entirely renewable energy region. If not totally
solar, at least a combination of various green energy sources like wind and
hydro,” Muni said.
Muni also commented on
the Department of Energy statement that the influx of solar power farms in
Negros has caused line congestion contributory to frequent interruptions.
He pointed out that the
problem in congestion is relative not only to the generation component.
“We have to understand
that the problem with brownouts in the province is not an issue of generation,
but rather an issue of transmission because according to solar experts we lag
behind in transmission rehabilitation,” he added.
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.
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