Solar Energy: Potential to Facilitate Household Urban Electrification in Cebu City

By: John Patrick Rica

 

ABSTRACT

This article discusses Cebu city’s potential to have solar energy as a new source of electrical energy. Due to the complex metropolitan governance, long-term sustainable urban planning cannot be done using the current city planning tools. As a result of ongoing migration and population growth, the city of Cebu wishes to buck this trend and enhance its strategies and planning processes to encourage sustainable urban development for the anticipated urban expansion in the following decade. Thus, the plan of Cebu city’s government for adopting renewable energy, especially solar power, is also presented in this article. 

Solar energy specialists believe that, with the right equipment, solar energy is the best way to meet the energy needs of a rising city like Cebu. According to the Philippine-German Solar Energy Symposium organizers, solar energy is a more useful alternative to traditional energy sources. Seven German solar companies from diverse sectors were in Cebu to meet with local energy stakeholders to develop creative ways to lower the cost of solar energy. Prudencio Gesta, vice president for finance of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opened the conversation by stating that solar power is a realistic form of energy for a sunny country like the Philippines. [1]

 

CEBU CITY’S GOVERNMENT PLANS ON SOLAR ENERGY

To reduce its reliance on expensive electricity, the Cebu City Government is considering installing solar energy systems in all its structures, including City Hall. The city spent P230 million on electricity in 2021 and P187 million so far this year, according to Councilor Joel Garganera, the chairman of the committee on energy. The City Government has budgeted P280 million for its power use year 2023. Garganera claimed that although the availability of solar electricity for the general public was also covered, the conversation was originally solely intended to focus on City Hall's demands for renewable energy. However, the councilor claimed that the ERC had set a criterion that could be considered cumbersome by members of the public who wish to install their solar panels.

 

According to Garganera, the ERC mandates that each family install a separate meter for the electricity produced by solar power in addition to their regular electricity meter. He continued by saying that because this will be yet additional expense for the people, it will deter them from installing solar power systems. "The government should make renewable energy more accessible and affordable if it is truly serious about pushing it," added Garganera. [2]

 

Also, the Cebu City Council has asked the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, Energy, and Other Utilities to investigate the installation of solar-powered systems or other types of renewable energy sources in all buildings owned and managed by the city government without expense to the city.

 

According to Reports, the city suffered significant damage during super typhoon Odette, which left it without electricity for more than a month. He claimed that the city's finances are also negatively impacted by the rising price of electricity. The local market already offers solar-powered systems and other alternative energy sources, according to Archival. He claimed that renewable energy must change to reduce electrical costs. [3]

CEBU CITY’S NEIGHBORING CITIES SOLAR ENERGY

Figure 1. This is an aerial view of the 73-hectare First Toledo Solar Energy Corp.’s solar power plant in Barangay Talavera, Toledo City. CDN DRONE file PHOTO 

A solar power facility is located in Barangay Talavera on a 73-hectare land in Toledo City, southwest of Cebu. Citicore Power Inc. (CPI) completed the construction of the P4 billion First Toledo Solar Energy Corp. (FTSEC) in October 2015. The facility is only 800 meters from the Calung-Calung substation of the National Grid Company of the Philippines (NGCP), and it started supplying power to NGCP in June 2016. Despite prior attempts by investors to build comparable power plants in the province, it is still Cebu's only operational solar power plant. 

The Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Menlo Renewable Energy Corp. a service contract in 2016 for the construction of a 60-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in response to plans by Menlo's publicly traded parent company, MRC Allied Inc., to build a solar power plant in a 160-hectare industrial estate in the southern city of Naga. Menlo was then the fourth solar plant project in Cebu to receive funding from DOE, counting FTSEC. 

The other two projects in northern Cebu were the 15-MW Bogo solar power project by Sun Premier Philippine Corp. in Bogo City and the proposed 25-MW CeKo Solar Farm Systems Inc. in Barangays Tominjao and Pajo in Daanbantayan town. Afterward, DOE sent CeKo a letter of termination for failing to follow the Milestone Method and the Rules and Regulations for Renewable Energy Safety, Health, and Environment. In June 2017, Menlo announced that the pre-development phase of their 60 MW projected solar power plant in Naga City was complete and that they had committed P3 billion to the venture. [4]

Figure 2. Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan distributed on Sunday (March 22, 2021) solar panel sets to 80 households in Barangay Caohagan in Olango Island. He said the power supply problem on the island will help boost its tourism appeal. (Photo courtesy of Mayor Junard Chan)

 

At this city's Caohagan, an islet barangay in Lapu-lapu City, the local government unit (LGU) of Lapu-Lapu has given solar panels to 80 homes. The area's power supply issue will help increase its appeal as a tourist destination, according to Mayor Junard Chan. He claimed that the island's white sand, crystal-clear sea, and sandbar provide guests a getaway from the bustle of city life. While formerly reliant on gas and electric generators, candles, and gas lights, homeowners now have their energy source to use solar panel setups to light their homes. [5]

 

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, unsustainable urbanization threatens the economic performance of Cebu City by increasing negative externalities that raise the price of traffic congestion, pollution, social and physical segregation, and environmental concerns. One of the eyed solutions for having a sustainable future for Cebu City is having a renewable energy source of electricity in every household. Solar energy is the best type of renewable energy to be implemented in every household in Cebu City, as discussed in this article.

 

 

REFERENCES

  1.       SunStar, Cebu; Solar power ‘best for Cebu [3] (2011).

https://www.eco-business.com/news/solar- power-best-for- cebu/?fbclid=IwAR17h4LElLOxvjm57R3C- oGW2epSyD7IUhsYEQnQ2TwR9ObEyntGOO dHB3U

2.       SunStar, Cebu; Cebu City eyes using solar power at City Hall (2023).

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1946820/ceb u/local-news/cebu-city-eyes-using-solar-power- at-cityhall? fbclid=IwAR3YCNGVbvOgxu5IDP5llm0UaIS mCVOCL4WoU3VRkR0fGYj7hX_hDeF5tXs

  3.       Malinao, Mary Ruth R.; Archival wants renewable energy sources for all city government buildings (2022).

https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu- news/2022/08/16/2202952/archival-wants- renewable-energy-sources-all-city- government-buildings

4.       Bunachita, Jose Santino S.; Renewable energy: Cebu’s lone solar power plant (2018).

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/180535/renew able-energy-cebus-lone-solar-power- plant?fbclid=IwAR1KG9k_8_HrNpzJZgpxjSB7 blwM5t4bBKckJ4LfgZGsWNYcDpKdiOUu1X w

       5.  Lorenciana, Carlo; Residents of the ‘hidden gem’ Cebu islet receive solar panels. (2021)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1134401?fbclid=IwAR29j3geMOscKHDAwYC_OLweXQGw ML_Y8ioi2OJV0TzaaQjgwiVS7cslaFo