Players of the renewable energy industry see that new technologies will shape the country’s next green energy auction program (GEAP), as the inclusion of solar storage hybrid technologies are being pushed.
In a report by the Philippine Star, ACEN president and CEO Eric Francia said that solar storage hybrid technology should be included in the next GEAP to help address grid constraints and encourage distribution utilities to obtain enhanced capacity and reliability of the program as a source of supply.
The cost of solar storage hybrid would depend on the constantly changing rates of battery storage but compared to gas, it has fixed costs and harnesses indigenous and clean energy, resulting in more secured energy and protecting customers from price volatility, Francia said.
Industry leaders also believe that the next GEAP will feature larger capacities from new technologies such as floating solar.
During last month’s second round of the green energy auction, the low reserve price was said to be the reason for the under-subscription. Previously, the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA) sought a tariff of PHP 7.3661 per kWh for floating solar, but the final ceiling price was P5.3948 per kWh.
Chair of the PSSEA and SunAsia President Theresa Capellan said the GEAP for floating solar has not yet grasped the true cost of this new rising technology, especially if the country will harness the potential of the Laguna Lake, but they look forward to working with the regulators to arrive at industry standards globally.
Meanwhile, Developers of Renewable Energy for Advancement (DREAM) President Atty. Jay Layug stated that floating solar projects are a welcome development given the scale of these new technology projects and they have been calling LLDA to formally issue the awards from the bidding completed last 2022.