P3-B solar plant project in Silay City launched

BACOLOD CITY: Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) expanded its solar capacity with the construction of a 69-megawatt (MW)-peak solar power plant in Barangay Eustaquio Lopez, Silay City.

The power plant, named Citicore Solar Negros Occidental, is the second solar plant of Citicore in the province.

It covers a land area of almost 70 hectares and has a future expansion plan to a total gross installed capacity of 100 MW.

The project launching on Tuesday, February 20, was attended by key government officials led by Mayor Joedith Gallego.

Commercial operation is expected this year as part of CREC’s deliverables for the government’s Green Energy Auction Program 2.

Oliver Tan, CREC president and chief executive officer, said that with the Philippines seen as a “bright spot” in Southeast Asia for renewable energy (RE), “Negros Occidental can further develop with the entry of more RE projects — not only addressing urgent environmental concerns but also bringing substantial socioeconomic gains while enhancing energy access, security and self-sufficiency.”

“We support Negros Occidental, its steps toward the renewable energy transition. With the completion of this project, we will not only be able to augment the power generation needs of Negros Occidental and the Visayas grid, but also contribute to the growth of the province,” Tan said.

He said the plant’s capacity can supply power to some 70,000 households.

The first solar farm of CREC in Silay City, located in Barangay Rizal, was commissioned in 2016 with a 25-MW installed capacity.

“This is Phase 2, an expansion of our Phase 1. We constructed it in 2015. After eight, nine years, we’re expanding,” Tan said.

Citicore Solar Negros Occidental is investing P3 billion in its new phase and will also hire 500 to 700 local construction workers during its construction phase, he said, adding that 30 employees are in its operating phase.

He said the company is leasing the land of the Ramos family for their new solar plant for 25 years.

Tan said a new solar plant will be installed with batteries so it can deliver power not only during the morning but also at night.

“It will be the first solar plant PV battery in Negros,” he said.

Tan said he discussed the possibility of providing solar power to the planned New Silay City Hall to be located near the solar plant.

He added the firm is simultaneously constructing 10 RE projects, including the one in Silay City with a total capacity of 1,000 MW.

The other projects are in Batangas, Pangasinan, Pampanga and in Negros, and will be completed by the end of the year.

He said their projects are in support of the Department of Energy’s program to a transition into renewable energy.

“We thank the local governments for accommodating us in Negros for the past eight years. We are studying that after Phase 2, we can have a Phase 3, hopefully, in the same area here in Silay,” he said.

Tan said solar is “cheaper than coal and natural gas.”

He said that Citicore is pioneering in “agro-solar which we started in our Luzon plants.”

“In cooperation with local farmers, we will allow them to plant root crops under the solar plants. As a matter of fact, we have already harvested turmeric, eggplant and pechay (cabbage) and peppers. It is aimed not to displace local farmers,” he said.

CREC, in a statement, said it has set a goal to contribute approximately 1 gigawatt of ready-to-build solar energy capacity per year for the next five years.

“This is in line with the DoE’s Philippine Energy Plan, which targets to achieve a 35-percent RE share in the power generation mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040,” it added.

Gallego welcomed the new solar plant as it will bring in additional taxes to the city government as well as job opportunities for residents.

“We also offered them incentives,” the mayor said.

Board Member Manuel Fredrick, chairman of the Committee on Energy of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), said the solar plant project of Citicore passed his committee.

“Projects like these actually do not need the approval of the SP. But we made sure that they comply with the requirements mandated by law, especially the environment compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” Ko said.

He said that these will be an advantage to the country’s energy security.

“Globally, the direction is toward the use of renewable energy,” Ko added.