SOLAR MANUFACTURING FACILITY TO BOOST LOCAL
SOLAR INDUSTRY, CREATE 'GREEN' JOBS

A solar cell manufacturing of First Philippine Electric Corp. (First Philec) will help strengthen the solar power industry of the Philippines and create more jobs, according to Senator Edgardo J. Angara.

First Philec is putting up the wafer slicing plant in partnership with a Korean company, Nexolon Corp., with a target of producing 400 megawatts of wafer per year.

First Philec is also a partner of the Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) in the development of Renewable Energy (RE) systems, like the country's first solar testing facility.

Angara, Chair of COMSTE, said the testing facility as significant proof that government and industry collaboration works, and that continued Public Private Partnerships (PPP's) can spur the growth of innovation especially in the fields of S&T.

The testing facility has 180 KW on-grid capacity, and is capable of testing photovoltaic (PV) modules for efficiency and resilience in field conditions, as opposed to being tested in laboratories in controlled environments.

COMSTE has been planning projects to enhance the use of solar power in the country. Through the new solar testing facility, local and foreign solar manufacturers can test panels for optimal output in tropical conditions.

Angara said that developing RE industries in solar, wind and biofuels will not only lessen the dependence on fossil fuels, but will also spur the creation of a new and innovative 'green' industry, accompanied by job creation.

Manufacturing of electronic components for solar energy has been tagged by another COMSTE industry partner, The Semiconductor Electronics Industry of the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI) president Ernesto Santiago, as having the potential to contribute to the growing $28 billion worth of exports generated by the local semiconductor industry.