Citicore to make 30 MW available for green energy option program

RENEWABLE energy (RE) firm Citicore Power, Inc. said over the weekend that it plans to dedicate an initial 30 megawatts (MW) from its solar portfolio for the government’s green energy option program (GEOP).

“Beginning third quarter of this year, about 30 MW will be initially used for GEOP, as this will become available due to expiration of an existing contract,” Citicore, through its corporate affairs department, told BusinessWorld in a text message on Sunday.

The firm clarified that the capacity would come from its solar farms, but did not state which of its facilities will be providing the 30-MW allotment. At present, Citicore operates eight solar farms across the country with an aggregate installed capacity of 163 MW and are fully contracted.

The Department of Energy (DoE) previously named Citicore Power’s retail electricity supplier Citicore Energy Solutions, Inc. as one of the 10 entities that qualified for the GEOP.

Launched in 2018, the GEOP is a voluntary mechanism that allows users consuming at least 100 kilowatts of power to source their supply from retail electricity suppliers that sell power from renewable sources.

“To be included in the DoE’s GEOP… list is indeed a very welcome development for Citicore,” Citicore President Oliver Y. Tan said in a statement issued on Friday.

“Due to the ill effects of climate change, there is a growing consciousness to shift to clean and RE among consumers and given that GEOP advocates the consumers’ rights to choose, we believe that our diverse portfolio provides us with a distinct advantage… We can cater to those who prefer solar, hydro, or biomass energy sources,” he added.

The firm also owns 100% of the Rio Norte Hydro Corp., which is developing the 19.7-MW run-of-river hydro projects in Echaque, Isabela, and 60% of Citicore Candlewick Biomass, Inc., which uses sustainable techniques in producing wood biomass products that can be used as alternatives to fuel.

Citicore previously said that its subsidiary Citicore Solar Energy Corp. signed a deal with Ayala-led AC Energy Corp. to build a 50-MW photovoltaic solar facility in Arayat and Mexico, Pampanga. The plant is expected to go online this November.

In February, Citicore reported that it was allocating P4 billion as capital expenditures for solar and hydro projects. Of the amount, some P2.5 billion will go to solar projects, and P1.5 billion will be allotted for hydro projects. — Angelica Y. Yang