Energy chief asked to review qualified solar projects

posted July 03, 2016 at 11:05 pm by  Alena Mae S. Flores

http://thestandard.com.ph/business/209796/energy-chief-asked-to-review-qualified-solar-projects.html

Renewable energy company Citicore Power Inc. asked newly-appointed Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to review the list of solar projects endorsed for the second round of feed-in-tariff rates under the previous administration.

Citicore vice president Manolo Candelaria said in a statement the company was optimistic Cusi and his team would review the department’s compliance to the rules in the latest issuance of the FIT incentives for solar projects. 

Citicore Power, a subsidiary of Citicore Investment Holdings Inc., owns two solar power plants that were not included in the list of endorsed projects to the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Several renewable energy firms also called on the Energy Department to come out with the parameters on the procedures and their bases for awarding the certificate of endorsement for FIT eligibility.

These companies questioned how the list of awardees was finalized.  Issues were raised about the definition of important terms and reckoning dates that affected participants who did and did not make the cut within the March 15 deadline of the department under the build-first rule. 

Candelaria said DOE Circular No. 2013-05-0009  set the parameters in awarding the FIT that all participants were required to follow. The circular set the guidelines for the selection process of renewable energy projects under FIT system and the award of certificate for FIT eligibility.

“That circular should not be open to interpretation, much less changed while the game is already ongoing. All participants entered the FIT race on the basis of that circular. While we know that there will be winners and losers in the race for the FIT, it should be made clear how the winners were chosen, for the benefit of everyone who participated,” he said.

“Our documents, including certifications and permits, as well as the records of hourly dispatch of solar power plants from the market operator’s website [accessible to the public], will clearly show that we commissioned and dispatched before the deadline, well ahead of other participants that have been approved to get the subsidy,” he said.

Candelaria said the company was hopeful about the Duterte administration’s commitment to transparency and fairness.

Citicore owns the 18-megawatt solar power project in the Freeport Area of Bataan  in Barangay Alasasin, Mariveles. The power plant spans 37 hectares and was undertaken under project company Next Generation Power Technology Corp.

Citicore also owns a 25-MW  solar facility in Silay, Negros Occidental which  spans 43 hectares and includes over 96,000 photovoltaic  modules. The Silay facility powers 30,000 homes connected to the Visayas grid.

Citicore Power said the projects were completed before the March 15 deadline.

Projects endorsed by the Energy Department could avail of the P8.69-per-kilowatt-hour FIT rate under the second round of installation target.

Among the endorsed projects were the 23-MW San Carlos solar power project of San Carlos Solar Energy Inc.; 6.23-MW Centrala solar project of nv vogt Philippines Solar Energy One Inc.; 13.14-MW Pampanga solar project II of Raslag Corp.; 2.66-MW Burgos solar project II of Energy Development Corp. and 50.07-MW Tarlac solar project of PetroSolar Corp.

Other projects given endorsements are 14.15-MW Hermosa solar power project of YH Green Energy Inc.; 10.26-MW Cabanatuan solar project of First Cabanatuan Renewable Ventures Inc.; 63.3-MW Calatagan solar project of Solar Philippines Calatagan Corp.; 20-MW Currimao solar project of Mirae Asia Energy Corp.; 8.5-MW Valenzuela solar project of Valenzuela Solar Energy; 2.04-MW Lian solar project of Absolut Distrillers Inc. and the 18-MW Bais solar project of Monte Solar Energy Inc.

The department also endorsed the 22.33-MW Clark solar project of Enfinity Philippines Renewable Resources Inc.; 10.49-MW Kibawe solar project of Asian Greenergy Corp.; 5.02-MW Palauig solar project of SPARC Solar Powered Agri-Rural Communities Corp.; 15-MW Bulacan III solar project of Bulacan Solar Energy Corp. and 132.5-MW Cadiz solar project of Helios Solar Energy Corp.