‘Power harnessed from sun to solve Mindanao’s power crisis’

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SUNDAY, 31 JULY 2011 17:21 PAUL ANTHONY A. ISLA / REPORTER

SOLAR power advocates Philippine Solar Power Alliance (PSPA) claimed on Friday that the recurring brownouts in Mindanao could be fixed by solar power plants with the short time frame needed to deploy such technologies.

“The process of putting up solar power plants is the fastest among all energy technologies. A 10-megawatt [MW] solar power plant can be installed and commissioned in just six months or even less because it does not have fuel or other environmental concerns,” Dennis Ibarra, PSPA president, said.

He said the time needed to deploy the solar power projects is shorter than fossil fuel-based, large hydroelectric, geothermal power projects and other renewable-energy sources.

“The speed of deploying solar power plants can be attributed to over 40 years of installation and connection experience by established companies that are now keen on investing in Mindanao. Local and international solar companies can produce at least 400 MW of electricity to deal with power shortages if the government allows them,” he said.

As of May 2011, Ibarra said 40 local and international project applications were submitted to the Department of Energy (DOE).

He added that these projects, if allowed to produce 10 MW each, can generate 400 MW of clean and renewable power.

He said the power-supply shortage has been causing intermittent outages in Mindanao throughout the year and that reports indicate that power reserve levels remain low at only 100 MW during peak hours.

Ibarra said Mindanao’s power-generating capacity is heavily reliant on weather and water supply as about 50 percent of the electricity generated is from hydroelectric power plants.

The DOE, however, has put a 50-MW cap on solar energy installation target for three years.

Thus, the PSPA has been appealing to the DOE to increase its installation targets to 269 MW instead of 50 MW.

“The Renewable Energy Act of 2008 does not prioritize or discriminate against different renewable-energy technologies, but calls for a balanced set of technologies, along with their distinct features and applications,” Ibarra said.