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Bill seeks to boost RE investments

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Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian, eyeing to draw more investments in renewable energy (RE), sought to remove the 100-kilowatt (kW) size limit in installing power generation facilities under the net metering program.

In filing the enabling legislation under Senate Bill 2219, Gatchalian aims to attract large power consumers to invest in the electricity sector developing the use of indigenous and RE resources.

To do this, Gatchalian’s bill seeks to remove the 100 kW size limit in the installation of power generation facilities under the net metering program.

“Removing the 100-kilowatt cap will allow large electricity consumers such as commercial establishments, industrial buildings, and government offices to avail of the net-metering program under Republic Act 9513, otherwise known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008,” the senator said.

He added that this will, in turn, “encourage more investments in RE while, at the same
time, provide support in terms of savings to industries that have the capacity to install power generation facilities such as solar panels on
their rooftops.”

The senator foresees that  “the rooftop now becomes a resource.”

“Kung mayroon kang [your] rooftop, it’s as good as real-estate kasi puwede kang magkabit doon ng panels at [you may be able install panels and] generate revenue,” he added.

Gatchalian, sitting as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, noted: “Rooftops no longer just serve to shelter your property. It could also serve as a means to cut power costs. But that can’t be accomplished yet because of the existing limitation of the law,” he said in Filipino.

Moreover, Gatchalian recalled he was also prompted to file Senate Bill 2219 after noting that the net-metering program is not maximized as only 53 or 37.32 percent out of the 142 distribution utilities (DUs) are qualified end-users for net-metering as of March 31, 2021.

Apart from removing the 100-kW cap, Gatchalian’s bill mandates the Energy Regulatory Commission to regularly determine the cap taking into consideration the possible effects on the stability of the grid and
the retail rates of captive customers and further streamline the submissions and permitting process to include minimum requirements for
local government units, all under the time frames provided in Republic Act 11234, otherwise known as the Energy Virtual One Stop-Shop Act.

He added that the remedial legislation seeks to further promote and encourage commercial development of RE projects, noting that Republic Act 9513 provided the net-metering program where electricity customers are allowed to install an RE facility within their premises up to a capacity of 100 kW and any excess electricity not consumed is exported to a DU and in return, the customer is compensated through credits in their monthly bill.

At the same time, Gatchalian said that RE installations above the 100 kW ceiling are not covered by the net-metering program.

Read full article on BusinessMirror

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