Mindanao Pushes for More Renewable Energy Supply

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During the recent 5th Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee Principals’ Meeting at the National Power Corporation Board Room, key players in the  power sector stressed the importance of pursuing renewable energy as prominent source of electricity in Mindanao.

“There are good things coming for Mindanao and power is one of them,” Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), said in her opening statement.

Compared to last year’s power state, this year has seen significant progress with the immediate and medium term measures, stressing that majority of the cities in Mindanao did not have rotating power outage as reported by the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperative (AMRECO).

Antonino said that there are 231 renewable energy projects spread across Mindanao that could potentially generate at least 2,419 megawatts of sustainable power supply for the region between 2020 and 2025. In the next five years, over 2000 megawatts of renewable energy will be contributed to the Mindanao grid.

A startup project that promotes RE in NorthMin

In Northern Mindanao, a pioneering sustainable property developer has started to incorporate the use of renewable energy through property developments. Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-development Corporation (ITPI), an Italian-Filipino sustainable real estate firm, is committed to using green architecture paired with the use of renewable energy.

Primavera Residences, ITPI’s flagship sustainable condominium development, primarily promotes green architecture that helps reduce the impact to the environment. ITPI’s CEO and executive chairman Arch. Romolo Nati and its president, Atty. Jojo Leviste closely work together in achieving their goal to be the country’s prime movers in sustainable properties.

Leviste and Nati are also committed in incorporating energy-efficient systems in all their properties through its renewable energy business, Constellation Energy Corporation, with projects that include geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar.

“Sustainable design is more than just designing green. Aside from aesthetic design and caring for the environment, it has to help develop the communities,” Nati said. “That’s why our developments incorporate sustainability features that reduces 20% of the residents’ electricity consumption and are also built in secondary Philippine cities, where they can help develop local communities.”

Mindanao 2020 Peace and Dev’t Plan

The great move in pursuing RE projects, according to Antonino, is part of the efforts of key power players from the government and the private sector to provide Mindanao with a greener and renewable power supply.

Antonino added that pursuing RE development is also aligned with the MinDA’s Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan, which recognizes power as a major enabling factor for socio-economic development.

By 2016, the power scenario in Mindanao, including the committed projects, is expected to be 40% hydro, 28% coal, 25% oil-based, 6% geothermal and 1% biomass, MinDA data said.

But in 2019-2020, the energy mix in Mindanao, including committed and indicative power projects, would be 56% coal, 24% hydro, 14% oil-based, 4% geothermal and 1% each for biomass and solar, according to the same data.

Romeo Montenegro, MinDA director for investment promotion and public affairs, said that the government fully supports the development of renewable energy projects to balance the energy mix in Mindanao in the long-term.

Primavera to put up solar panels this June

This June 2015, Primavera Residences will be installing 6 sets of 3 kWp solar panel kits that could generate an estimated monthly electricity output of 270 kWh per kit at the roof deck to power the building’s water pumps, elevators, and other common areas.

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Do you want to know more about the energy-efficient building? You can contact them at 0917 794 2221 and 088 880 5002 or you may visit their website here.