April 2, 2019 | 12:07 am
THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) has
released a draft circular covering the regulation and operation of energy
storage systems (ESS) after proponents of the technology raised concerns about
the lack of a governing policy framework.
In its draft rules, the DoE said
among the reasons for drafting the circular is the continued load dropping in
the Visayas power grid because of the intermittency of the operations of
variable renewable energy generating plants in the area.
It said the experience in the
Visayas resulted in the recognition of energy storage systems as a technology
to manage intermittent operations of the variable RE plants’ output, thus
ensuring system stability.
The agency also said the circular
recognizes that some forms of ESS contain chemicals that are potentially
harmful to human life and the environment.
“The recycling and proper disposal
of ESS facilities and components shall be under the responsibility of the ESS
proponent,” it said.
It said ESS will be one of the key
elements in the proposed smart grid roadmap, which the DoE is promulgating to
guide the power industry in implementing initiatives to modernize the power
system.
It said in other jurisdictions, ESS
technologies are applied to serve a variety of functions in the generation,
transmission and distribution of electric energy.
The draft circular applies to power
industry participants, including power generation companies owning and/or
operating ESS.
The covered technologies include
battery energy storage system; compressed air energy storage; flywheel energy
storage; pumped-storage hydropower; and other emerging technologies that may be
identified, qualified, and approved by the DoE as ESS.
The rules are also applicable to
customers and end-users owning and/or operating ESS, which include distribution
utilities; and directly connected customers.
The circular also applies to
qualified third parties; transmission network providers; system operators;
market operators; and Philippine Electricity Market Corp.
The DoE is requesting interested
parties to submit their comments on the draft department circular by April 5,
2019. It issued the draft on April 1.
On the same day, the DoE announced
another international roadshow for its Philippine Conventional Energy
Contracting Program (PCECP). It will kick off at the International Road Show
for 2019 at the Southeast Asian Petroleum Exploration Society (SEAPEX)
Exploration Conference and Farmout Forum in Singapore on April 2-5. These will
be followed by roadshows in the United States, Canada, Abu Dhabi, and
Argentina.
Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said: “For an
energy-secure future, the DoE is committed to establish a strong ‘Explore,
Explore, Explore’ program by harnessing indigenous energy resources. It is
urgent that we intensify our exploration and development activities. We need to
become energy self-sufficient so we are better protected from international
price market volatilities.” — Victor V. Saulon
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