Renewable energy body approves more wind projects

Manila Standard Today
By Alena Mae S. Flores | Oct. 08, 2014 at 11:01pm

The National Renewable Energy Board has approved a 150-percent increase in the installation target for wind energy projects to 500 megawatts from 200 MW, a board official said.

The proposed increase would entitle more wind energy developers to a feed-in tariff rate of P8.53 per kilowatt-hour, which is considered as incentives to renewable energy producers.

NREB vice chairman Ernesto Pantangco told reporters the board, tasked to implement the Renewable Energy Law of 2008, was set to meet with Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla on the proposed increase in wind allocation by 300 MW.

“As NREB, we are proposing an increase in wind allocation. It’s 300 MW, so it will be 500 MW. It’s a proposal. There are many interested,” Pantangco said.

He said NREB had already approved the higher allocation for wind projects and would be endorsed to the Energy Department.

“We’re trying to set up meeting. In principle he [Petilla] is open to it [because] any additional MW is good for the grid,” Pantangco said.

Pantangco said several companies were already building wind power projects such as Energy Development Corp., Ayala Corp., Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. and Petroenergy Corp.

“If you increase [the installation target], it will benefit the people who are racing now. If they find out ahead, they will follow. The others are beginning to slow down because they are saying what’s the use,” he said.

NREB chairman Pete Maniego said the 200-MW allocation target for wind projects was expected to be exceeded by December this year.

“Total wind projects on the pipeline exceed 700 MW and can be finished by 2015,” Maniego said.

He said based on industry simulations, wind installations would help alleviate power shortage in 2015 and 2016 at lower costs compared to the rates of electricity produced by generator sets and the interruptible load program.

Maniego earlier said NREB was also pushing to increase the wind installation target although the Energy Department was prioritizing solar projects, which were easy to deploy and could address the increased power demand next year. source