There’s more sun in the Philippines. Why not use it as an alternative energy source?
This was the message given by German solar energy industry experts who were in the country recently for a week-long series of workshops to share expertise and technical know- how to representatives of local solar companies, distribution utilities and even environmental groups.
The German Solar Training Week was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technoology (BMWi) and organized by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammernarbeit (GIZ) in the context of the initiative “Renewables – Made in Germany.”
Experts and Industry bigwigs from Germany said that the Philippines is one of the countries that have yet to experience the benefits of solar energy despite the abundance of sun.
“It’s practically everywhere,” said DR. Christoph Menke, a full-time professor at the University of Applied Science in Trier, Germany and a senior energy policy advisor to GIZ in the Philippines and Thailand.
“The solar potential in the Philippines is five kilowatt-hour (kWh) per square meter a day, double that of what we have in Europe,” Menke said, somewhat making the country a tantalizing prospect since Europe is the leading region for solar power.
“Solar thermal and photovoltaic potential are very high,” the professor said.
Menke noted that at present, there is only one megawatt (mW) worth of solar energy installed in the Philippines. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) current national renewable energy plan calls for285 mW of solar power to be installed by 2030.
“We hope that the Philippine government would acknowledge that this (figure) is just a start, “Menke said, highlighting the country’s solar potential.
According to European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Vice President Martial Beck, this tropical archipelago could tap as much as 1,500 mW of solar energy by the year 2030.
“Solar power technology creates jobs attracts investments and is the most environment-friendly renewable energy source. Germany had shown that solar energy is sustainable,” said Becks.
Nils Szymczak, off-grid power supply sales manager of IBC Solar, one of the biggest photovoltaic distributors in Germany, said that it is important for prospective Filipino business partners to start slow and learn from their own experience in harnessing solar energy.
“It’s like dipping your feet into the pool to test the water. You should start slow, start small and learn for that experience. But the important thing is to start now,” said Szymczak, who flinched upon learning that the Philippines burns around 300,000 barrels of oil a day.
Energy emitted by the sun can be harnessed through photovoltics (PV), a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity.
While he sees great business potential in the country, Szymczak stressed the importance of finding local parntenrs that are willing to act independently and commit to the technology for the long term. He said that in order to be competitive in the market, a solar or PV system must last for at least 20 years.
This translates to big investments hence his advice to Filipinos to “start slow and small” and gain confidence in the technology by learning from various experiences early on.
For her part, Techie Capellan, founder and spokesperson of Philippine Solar Power Alliance Inc. gave a bright outlook for solar energy in the Philippines, saying it could take the country only five years to catch up with the industry leaders of the region.
“We believe this is going to be a major initiative in solving the problems of the energy sector,” Capellan said. According to her, solar rooftop systems will drive the local solar industry forward.
Part of her optimism is the fact that solar power modules have recently gone down in price; something that Menke predicted would become a trend. “Accumulative worldwide demand for PV will pressure the market price of modules to go down,” he said.
Citing the case of Holiday Dream Apartelle in Angeles City which harnesses solar energy via solar rooftop panels, Capellan said potential savings from electric consumption could reach as much as 35 percent.
“From an electricity bill of P65,000, Holiday Dream’s consumptions was cut to around P42,000. This was in mid-January, when it was not even the peak of summer.”
Source: Manila Bulletin Sunday; News; 4 November 2012
