WVisayas eyed as center for renewable energy use

MANILA, Philippines - Western Visayas looms as the country's center for the utilization of renewable sources of energy, an online news site reported. The News Today reported that renewable energy advocates pushed for the use of renewable energy in the region, as a first in the country. Advocates made the call at the Western Visayas Renewable Energy Congress held in Iloilo City last Friday, the report said. During the event, participants issued a manifesto to champion Western Visayas as the country's model for renewable energy development and utilization. They also called for the enactment of policies and regulations that will optimize the use of renewable energy sources and to access technical and financial assistance to renewable energy programs that will enhance technology transfer and the tapping of local resources. Also, the advocates said they will also ensure capacity-building programs to support local manufacture of renewable energy systems' components. Sponsoring the congress were the Regional Development Council of Western Visayas, League of Province of the Philippines-Visayas, University of the Philippines in the Visayas and Responsible Ilongos for Sustainable Energy. Joining the congress were top executives in the energy sector, government officials, consumer groups, civil society organizations. Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez said the congress showed the region should not be dependent on fossil fuel to meet its electricity needs. She said contrary to claims of proponents of coal-fired power plants, there are many investors that are willing to put up power plants tapping renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydro, biomass, waste and geothermal. Perez and four other governors in Western Visayas earlier voiced opposition to the putting up of a coal-fired power plant in Barangay Ingore in La Paz District in Iloilo City. At the congress, investors in renewable energy presented potentials, planned and ongoing projects in the region. These include the Trans-Asia Power Generation Corp., which is building a wind farm in Guimaras, Solar Electric Company and the Sunwest Water and Electric Company which has a a hydro power plant project in Antique. Asea One Power Corp. said it has 25-MW power plant project converting waste to energy for Panay and Guimaras. Current projects and available energy using biomass included those of the Central Azucarera de San Antonio (Casa) in Pass City which produces around 7 MW from its Bio-mass Co-Generation (Cogen) plant using bagasse. The Global Green Power, Plc Corp. also presented projects using biomass. The projects can produce at least 80 megawatts, according to congress organizers. Organizers added these show the vast potentials of Western Visayas for renewable energy. - GMANews.TV