‘Aggressive’ targets set for renewables, DOE says
The National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) is eyeing to launch the updated National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) by December 2017.
NREB Chairman Jose Layug Jr. yesterday said that the board has set “very aggressive” targets for the year so the country could start using renewable energy ( RE), under an eight-yearold law that has yet to be fully implemented.
NREB is the advisory body under the Department of Energy (DOE) tasked with the effective implementation of RE projects. Layug said one of their major projects is the launching of the updated NREP by end of this year, which will now cover the RE roadmap until 2040.
“We will update it this year to make sure we are more forward- looking and be consistent with Ambisyon 2040, which is the thrust of the Duterte ad- ministration,” said Layug, in his keynote address during the Renewable Portfolio Standards ( RPS) public consultation co- organized by the US Agency for International Development ( USAID).
The current NREP, which was launched last May 2011, covers up to 2030.
35% renewable in 13 years
Under the current NREP, the country is targeting 22,000 megawatts in RE capacity, with RE accounting for 35 percent of the total energy mix by 2030. Currently, RE accounts for 26 percent of the mix nationwide.
Layug also announced that they intend within the next six months to complete all the rules that have been pending since 2008.
The group hopes to gather more comments and suggestions on the draft rules before the draft will be finalized and endorsed to the DOE.
As defined under the Renewable Energy Law of 2008, the RPS refers to a market-based policy that requires electricity suppliers to source an agreed portion of their energy supply from eligible RE sources.
These sources include RE technologies such as biomass, waste-to- energy technology, wind energy, solar energy, runof-river hydropower sources, impounding hydropower sources, ocean energy, hybrid systems, and geothermal energy.
Under the draft circular, the RE generation targets will be determined by the NREB and will be approved by the DOE in consultation with stakeholders.
A Renewable Energy Market (REM) will also be formed “to facilitate the issuance, commercialization and verify compliance with the annual RPS requirement,” the circular read.
Layug said that the NREB wants to make sure that it becomes more proactive in coordinating with other government agencies.
By July 12, the DOE, according to Layug, will launch an executive order creating the coordinating energy committee composed of different government agencies that will now work together with the DOE.
“This is to make sure that all your pending applications, licenses, and permits will be completed in a very efficient manner, without you waiting for it too long. You will see this in the next few days,” he said.