Noy inaugurates Negros solar plant

President Aquino led yesterday the inauguration of a 59-megawatt (MW) solar plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

The P3.7-billion San Carlos Sun Power Inc. (SaCaSun) plant in Barangay Punao is a joint venture of Aboitiz Power and Sun Edison Philippines. It began delivering power to the Visayas grid on March 9 and will provide 85 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy annually.

In his speech, Aquino said the country’s progress would depend on energy sufficiency.

“While we have a current energy surplus in the Visayas, it is imperative for us to react and prepare for future economic growth… this plant offers an estimated additional 59 megawatts… to the Visayas region,” he said.

The President expressed hope that more companies would follow in SacaSun’s footsteps.

“Investors in renewable energy development receive a seven-year income tax holiday, 10-year duty free importation of renewable energy machinery and feed-in-tariff rates, among many others,” Aquino said.

The President said he was confident that the country could achieve its goal of increasing renewable energy capacity to 15,304 MW by 2030.

Aquino said his administration was able to increase the power capacity of the Visayas by more than 900 MW, or from around 1,300 MW in 2010 to 2,228 MW at present.

He said another 5,404 MW are in the pipeline through 60 committed projects, of which 42 are renewable energy sources.