DoE: Solar, RE use mandatory
Building owners can either partially or fully source their energy requirement from the RE power supply system
Commercial buildings are now required to use solar photovoltaic (PV) and other renewable energy (RE) technologies after the Department of Energy (DoE) issued guidelines on the energy-conserving design of buildings.
Department Circular (DC) 2020-12-0026 issued on Friday seeks to promote the energy-conserving design of buildings and their services and boost the demand for energy-efficient materials and technologies.
Aside from solar PV, other RE technologies that can be used in buildings are wind power supply systems, solar weather heaters, solar air conditioners, and solar-powered lighting systems to reduce demand for commercial power.
“Covered buildings shall source, initially, a minimum of 1 percent of their projected annual energy requirements,” the circular read.
Required power load
Covered buildings include those with electrical loads of at least 112.5 kilovolt-ampere (kVa) or with a total gross floor area of at least 10,000 square meters.
Energy Utilization Management Bureau Director Patrick Aquino said penalties will be imposed on those who would not comply with the guidelines.
Building owners can either partially or fully source their energy requirement from the RE power supply system.
Aside from satisfying their own energy requirements, they are also allowed to sell the excess RE to the local power utility, which is currently at a maximum of 100 kilowatts but may be raised by the Energy Regulatory Commission in the future.
Bills on downtrend
Power rate in areas supplied by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), meanwhile, is expected to go down after the utility firm identified the lowest bidders for the supply of its 1,800-megawatt (MW) power capacity for 20 years.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the result of the competitive selection process (CSP) of Meralco was “very encouraging.”
“It will bring down the rate, which would be to the benefit of the consumers,” Cusi pointed out.
Covered buildings shall source, initially, a minimum of 1 percent of their projected annual energy requirements.
“The CSP is work in progress, which aims to help us achieve electricity tariff levels that are affordable and competitive enough to attract both foreign and local investors to do business in the Philippines,” it added.