Philippines | December 19, 2013
Wind turbines in Ilocos
From what I have been hearing the Renewable Energy projects have been having rough sailing in communities, in the government and m. any more:
1. The wind generators in Ilocos has been reported to be unable to sell power to the cooperatives. It has been losing money. It is difficult, according to my friends in the energy to deal with cooperatives, and even ERC. (One such incident involved a power gen in an island province. It has excess 5 mW of power generated which is unutilized, and yet publicized news that the island province is having power shortage and rotating brown outs. And ERC is approving another 25 mW coal fired power plant to be put up to compete) with barely breaking even bunker fuel fired power plant (both dirty technology)
2. For most energy companies (which is unlike Shell which foresees that oil will be insignificant player in transportation in 30 years) and it will be mostly solar in 50 years in its publication lenses), they are thinking still of traditional black technology, fossil fuel. Clean, renewable energy is not in their vocabulary now, or even for the next 10 years. The concern is utilization of current assets, and technologies, ROI on its investments. The concern for clean, renewable energy is still far off.
3. Customs. Many solar panel projects have been delayed because of snafu in importation and release from Customs. There have been reported changes in Customs/BIR rules, and their bureaucracy does not give priority in the release of the solar panels. It is not the law that speaks. It is the personality on the currency.
4. The big players in the industry, the local or foreign will protect their investments: mostly in bunker fuel, coal and diesel. Thus the net metering, which is very miniscule and nothing at all, favors the non renewable energy. And who would not believe that the BIG NON RENEWABLE POWER PLAYERS lobby could be behind this policy.
It is like the Nuclear Power. Japan was pro nuclear despite being victims of the atomic bomb holocaust. And then came the Fukushima meltdown. Now all of a sudden, nobody is talking about nuclear power in Japan. Japan is heavy into renewables with investment in solar approaching 2 gW.
Do we have to have this kind of event to pay attention to renewables.?
From Eco Business News - Phil warned of losing $2.5 billion investments in renewables
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