ACEN’s retail electricity supplier (RES) AC Energy Philippines has registered its first batch of contestable customers under the government’s Green Energy Option Program (GEOP) to ramp up its efforts to onboard qualified end-users.
This comes as the firm has successfully enrolled its first batch of customers with the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) following a switching process that began earlier this year. IEMOP is the operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
Under the GEOP, ACEN will provide its customers 100% renewable energy (RE) from its solar and geothermal power plants. Customers that have a monthly average peak demand of 100 kilowatts (kW) qualify for the program.
AC Energy Philippines is an accredited GEOP RES.
“Renewables are even more sensible at this time when fossil fuel prices are skyrocketing. And to preserve our planet for the next generation.” ACEN Executive Director and head of commercial operations Miguel de Jesus said in a statement.
Earlier this month, power generators said that electricity rates may rise due to the spike in international coal prices.
After the first batch, ACEN is targeting more GEOP-qualified customers. It is also leveraging on the program to support the country’s goal to achieve a 35% share in the energy mix by 2030.
Launched in 2018, the GEOP was established in accordance with Section 9 of Republic Act 9513 or the RE Act of 2008. It acts as a voluntary mechanism that allows contestable consumers to source their power supply from qualified RESs that source electricity from RE.
“We are proud to launch this program for our first customers, and also for the country, as it signals our country’s pivot to renewable energy,” De Jesus said.
“Energy solutions that integrate sustainability go a long way in the greening of the grid, and by implementing these enabling policies with meaningfulness and conviction, we are given more opportunities to forge partnerships anchored on renewables. We look forward to supporting businesses on their path to carbon neutrality,” he added.