The Energy Department endorsed 17 solar power projects with a combined capacity of 417.05 megawatts for feed-in tariff eligibility.
The projects will likely be granted by the Energy Regulatory Commission a feed-in tariff of P8.69 per kilowatt-hour under the second wave of solar installation targets.
“The DoE, through the Renewable Energy Management Bureau, has worked day and night to ensure that each eligible solar developer strictly followed the process and technical requirements,” Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada said in a statement.
The projects granted a certificate of endorsement for FIT eligibility were the 23-MW San Carlos solar power project of San Carlos Solar Energy Inc.; 6.23-MW Centrala of nv vogt Philippines Solar Energy One Inc.; 13.14-MW Pampanga of Raslag Corp.; 2.66-MW Burgos II of Energy Development Corp. and 50.07-MW Tarla of PetroSolar Corp.
The others were the 14.15-MW Hermosa of YH Green Energy Inc.; 10.26-MW Cabanatuan solar project of First Cabanatuan Renewable Ventures, Inc.; 63.3 Calatagan of Solar Philippines Calatagan Corp.; 20-MW Currimao of Mirae Asia Energy Corp.; 8.5-MW Valenzuela of Valenzuela Solar Energy; 2.04-MW Lian of Absolut Distrillers Inc. and the 180-MW Bais of Monte Solar Energy Inc.
The department also endorsed the 22.33-MW Clark of Enfinity Philippines Renewable Resources Inc.; 10.49-MW Kibawe of Asian Greenergy Corp.; 5.02-MW Palauig SPARC Solar Powered Agri-Rural Communities Corp.; 15-MW Bulacan III of Bulacan Solar Energy Corp. and 132.5-MW Cadiz of Helios Solar Energy Corp.
The projects will be endorsed to the ERC for issuance of the certificate of compliance, after which the developers will have to sign a payment agreement with National Transmission Corp., which manages the FIT-All Fund.
Monsada assured that the best interest of the public and all renewable energy developers were met in achieving the country’s commitment toward sustainable and cleaner energy.
The Renewable Energy Act of 2008 allowed the grant of incentives through FIT scheme.
“We have a binding law which is the RE Law, and the DoE is mandated to implement it,” Monsada, adding the policies and programs had undergone stringent procedures following the guidelines provided under the law.
Under the FIT System, qualified developers of emerging RE sources are offered a fixed rate per kilowatt-hour of their exported electricity to the distribution or transmission network.
Solar companies that earlier received a higher feed-in tariff rate of P9.68 per kWh under the first round of solar installation target totaling 108.9 MW were the 22-MW San Carlos phase A and B of San Carlos Solar; 10-MW Pampanga of Raslag; 4.10-MW Burgos 1 of EDC; 41.3-MW Cavite of Majestic Energy Corp. and the 1.5-MW SM North.
Philippine Solar Power president Tetchi Capellan earlier scored the government for the delay in the issuance of the solar FIT endorsement.
“We encourage government to disclose the parameters of the companies that were included in the list, full disclosure of the companies so that there will be no questions that will arise as we move forward into the next FIT,” she said.
Capellan said the government should explain the basis for their decision on which companies were included in the list.
