The Department of Energy is eyeing to issue the rules on the Green Energy Option this month.
The GEOP will allow end-users to choose renewable energy sources as their power supply.
National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) chairman Jay Layug said that the energy department is undergoing public consultations on the proposed rules.
“We just need to finish that. Hopefully, the rules will be finalized by the end of September,” he said in a report by the Philippine Star.
Recently, DOE called on interested parties to send in their comments on the GEOP rules.
“We needed to make sure the rules are consistent with the law and also in relation to the franchise law of the distribution utilities. All captive market customers need to go through the DU to make sure we don’t violate any law,” Layug said.
Under the GEOP, end-users are given the choice to have renewable energy sources as their power source. The GEOP is one of the critical provisions of Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008.
Under the program, all RE facilities can participate. Consumers can also ask their DUs and ECs to provide them with RE supply, why big power user can contract directly with RE generators and suppliers.
Green Energy Option Program – This is a good program and like any other program if not properly planned and managed there is a high probability of failure. For the consumers to buy this program, first DOE should clearly define what is this Green Energy Option Program and its objectives. Explain who will manage this program? If this scheme will be managed by the government i.e. DOE, ERC etc. this program will not sell to the consumers! A proper Green Power Regulator and a Steering Group should be established so that the country’s households and businesses shall be able to displace their electricity usage with certified renewable energy, which is added to the grid on their behalf. The aims of the Program are to be clearly defined like the example below:
• Facilitate the installation of new renewable energy generators across the country beyond mandatory requirements;
• Encourage growth in consumer demand for renewable energy;
• Provide consumer choice for, and increase consumer confidence in, credible renewable energy products;
• Increase consumer awareness of renewable energy and greenhouse issues; and
• Decrease greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity generation.
By purchasing Green Energy, households and businesses commit their Green Energy Providers to purchasing the equivalent amount of electricity from accredited renewable energy generators, which generate electricity from sources like wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and bio-energy.
How much does Green Energy Cost? This should be clearly explained and basically Green Energy will costs more than standard electricity because it is part of building completely new infrastructure for the grid. But, as with any new technology, development and improvement will see the costs reduce as the infrastructure and demand for it grows. Without transparency and a proper audit scheme the consumers will not buy this program.