Press Release
May 18, 2011

ANGARA URGES SWIFT APPROVAL OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
TARIFF RATES, INSTALLATION TARGETS

Senator Edgardo J. Angara urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to study the submitted Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) rates and installation targets to make sure that they are at par with the levels set globally, and then move for their swift approval.

Angara made these statements after National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) Chairman Pedro Maniego announced that the board had already submitted their recommendations to the ERC after a year of consultations and deliberations.

According to ERC Executive Director Saturnino Juan, the FIT rates should be finalized in three months after reviewing documents and conducting public consultations.

Installation targets are the megawatt (MW) capacity which is allotted per technology up to which point the FIT rates would apply, if installed capacity is breached then the FIT rates would no longer be applicable.

The total installation target is 830 MW, 250 MW for biomass, 250 MW for hydroelectricity, 220 MW for wind, 100 MW for solar and 10 MW for ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC).

Angara said that the installation targets are below the levels which the renewable energy producers have been appealing for and that he hopes the ERC is able to come up with targets that reflect the urgent need to invest heavily in alternatives and renewable.

Angara, Chair of the Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), said that the government needs to make aggressive moves that will leave fossil fuel dependence and move towards the use of alternative, renewable energy sources.

COMSTE, which is a non-voting member of the NREB, has repeatedly called for the government to help develop the renewable energy industry. Angara said that alternatives and renewable energy has the potential to grow into a strong local industry which would generate new, 'green' jobs.

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