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Mindanao seeks more renewable energy to balance power supply mix


Mindanao is seeking more investments in renewable energy for a more balanced energy mix—after new power plants come online in 2016 to 2018—to induce effective delivery of sufficient power across the island, an official of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said in a statement Friday.
 
“We are looking into the viability of investments in renewable energy projects, specifically small hydro and biomass generation to sustain Mindanao’s ideal energy mix of 50 percent renewable energy and 50 percent fuel-based in the future,” MinDA chairperson Luwalhati Antonino said.
 
Currently, Mindanao is enjoying a 60-40 energy mix in favor of renewable energy largely from the Agus-Pulangi hydro complex, geothermal plants, several small hydro, biomass and solar plants while the 40 percent is supplied by fossil fuel-based power plants, particularly coal and diesel. 
 
“As we look ahead to the end of this power supply shortfall in the next two to three years, we still face the challenge of balancing the desired energy mix in Mindanao,” Antonino added.
 
Mindanao will have a reversal of the mix as majority of the committed power projects to come online from 2016 to 2018 are coal-fired power plants.
 
Antonino said the energy mix will be pushed during the Second Mindanao Congress of the Advocates for Renewable Energy and Rural Electrification and Development (MinCARED) to be held from May 27 to 28 in Cagayan de Oro City.
 
MinCARED participants include local chief executives and legislators, representatives from non-government organizations, academe, electric cooperative constituencies, media, private sector, and business leaders as well as other power industry stakeholders.
 
Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee, co-chaired by MinDA and the Department of Energy (DOE), is composed of the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives Inc., Energy Regulatory Commission, National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation, Mindanao Electric Power Alliance, National Transmission Corporation, and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.
 
Antonino said MinDA is working with DOE to put up a one-stop-shop processing and facilitation center for renewable energy projects and also with USAid’s CEnergy to determine the most suitable areas for small hydro and biomass energy projects. — DOR/VS, GMA News
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