THE Department of Energy (DoE) said on Thursday that Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi had signed a department circular providing the guidelines on how power users can avail of renewable energy (RE) as their source of electricity.
In a statement, the DoE said the circular, “Promulgating the Rules and Guidelines Governing the Establishment of the Green Energy Option Program Pursuant to the Renewable Energy Act of 2008,” was signed by Mr. Cusi on July 18.
The circular was issued pursuant to Section 9, Chapter III of the Renewable Energy Law, which authorizes the DoE to establish a Green Energy Option Program, or GEOP.
GEOP gives electricity end-users the option to source their energy requirements from renewable energy resources. Its rules establish the general guidelines and procedures governing transactions between consumers, RE suppliers and network service providers, on choosing and using RE resources at the least cost and in a sustainable manner.
“A voluntary program, all end-users with a monthly average peak demand of 100kW (kilowatts) and above for the past 12 months may opt to participate in the GEOP,” the DoE said.
“Those with an average peak demand below 100 kW may also participate in the GEOP,” but only after the department, in consultation with the National Renewable Energy Board and industry stakeholders, “is able to determine that the technical requirements and standards are met by the end-user.”
The DoE said with the promulgation of the GEOP rules, it hopes to attract more consumers to source their power from renewables.
The department said it believes that the GEOP “will not only promote sustainability, but will also empower more Filipinos by giving them a wider variety of options for their energy requirements.”
It said the program is also in line with its strategy “to aggressively promote the development, utilization and commercialization of indigenous and clean sources of energy, while ensuring the sustainable and secure supply of power for the country.” — Victor V. Saulon
