The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA) and Preferred Energy, Inc. (PEI) have launched a new training initiative aimed at helping electric cooperatives (ECs) strengthen renewable energy planning and improve long-term energy security.

In a press release dated May 7, PHILRECA said the Cooperative Operational Renewable Energy (CORE) program gathered more than 250 corporate planners, technical managers, and renewable energy project managers from 88 ECs during an introductory workshop held from May 5 to 7 via Zoom.

The program focused on renewable energy integration, energy planning, and decision-making strategies as the electrification sector faces rising power costs and supply uncertainties.

PHILRECA President Jose Raul Saniel said the initiative is intended to help ECs become more active participants in shaping their own energy future.

“CORE goes beyond introducing RE technologies,” Saniel said. “It seeks to equip our cooperatives with the practical tools to move from being passive energy consumers to becoming active drivers of our own energy future.”

Preferred Energy, Inc. President and Managing Director Grace Yeneza said disciplined planning and sustainable project development are critical to making renewable energy projects operational in rural communities.

The workshop included technical discussions on competitive selection process (CSP) contracting, embedded generation planning, and renewable energy technologies such as solar, hydropower, biomass, wind, and battery energy storage systems (BESS). Participants were also introduced to distributed energy resources (DERs), microgrids, and renewable energy planning tools such as HOMER software.

Preferred Energy, Inc. Energy Planning and Business Development Director Alberto “Bert” Dalusung III warned that dependence on imported fuels continues to expose consumers to fuel price shocks. Dalusung pointed out how domestic fuel prices had reached PHP 80.25 per liter, significantly affecting transportation and food costs.

The program also highlighted the experience of Romblon Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ROMELCO), which PHILRECA described as a model for renewable energy development in grid-isolated areas. ROMELCO currently operates renewable energy facilities including mini-hydro, solar hybrid, biomass, wind, and rooftop solar projects.

“Renewable energy is no longer optional; it is the pathway to long-term resilience for our cooperatives,” Fajilagutan said. “By venturing into power generation, ECs can reduce costs, create new revenue streams, and ensure energy security for their member-consumer-owners (MCOs),” ROMELCO General Manager and PHILRECA Board Director Rene M. Fajilagutan said.

Meanwhile, PHILRECA Executive Director and General Manager Janeene Depay-Colingan said ECs must become more proactive and strategic as the energy sector evolves.

“Energy planning is no longer something that can be treated as secondary,” Depay-Colingan said. “The decisions we make today have lasting consequences for the future.”

“The shift toward RE and better service point to one thing: ECs must be more proactive, more strategic, and more collaborative than ever before,” she added. “CORE serves not as an endpoint, but as a starting point—isang panibagong simula para sa mas pinahusay na pagpaplano at mas matatag na serbisyo.”

PHILRECA and PEI said they plan to expand the CORE program in the coming months through additional training levels focused on developing investment-ready renewable energy proposals and executive-level planning.

Do you think electric cooperatives can play a bigger role in expanding renewable energy access in rural communities?

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