A plan is being formulated to encourage the use of renewable energy to address the country’s power needs. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have discussed the possibility of using solar power in business districts.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said that solar power and other renewables are faster to implement than traditional energy sources such as coal, but admitted that solar power has limited capacity and are space intensive. But Pernia also pointed out that solar panels could be installed in buildings especially in rooftops.
Though there have been talks with the DOE and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi does not seem to oppose the idea, Pernia said that the program is still a plan and there are no financing mechanisms for it yet.
The NEDA board in September last year approved an existing DOE program on solar power that gave grant assistance for solar home systems and rural power generation facilities. The said project costs P4.89 billion and aims to provide electricity and energy to 100,000 households through solar energy.
