Cusi: Green Energy Within Reach of Filipino Consumers

EMPOWERING CONSUMERS ON GREEN ENERGY. Organizers and participants during the culminating public consultation for the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP) held at the University of Makati Mini Theater, Makati City on September 19, 2017. The event was led by NREB Chair Atty. Jose Layug, Jr. together with OIC for Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) Director Mylene Capongcol and GEOP Committee Chairman Ernesto B. Pantangco.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi Tuesday said that the Philippine government is doing everything it can to empower Filipino consumers access renewable energy sources through the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP).

Cusi issued the statement in support of the public consultation held by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) on the draft guidelines on the implementation of GEOP held on 19 September 2017 at the University of Makati Mini Theater.

GEOP is being pushed by the DOE and NREB with support from USAID B-LEADERS.

The GEOP is a mechanism which provides end-users the option to choose renewable energy (RE) resources in meeting their energy requirements through respective distribution utilities.

The GEOP is provided under Republic Act 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, and is in line with the DOE’s “E-Power Mo” campaign to educate consumers of various options on intelligent and efficient utilization of energy resources.

“The GEOP draft guidelines went through an extensive review by the NREB’s Green Energy Option Rules Committee and was subjected to inputs from stakeholders of the Philippine electric power industry,” said Cusi.

“By conducting public consultations, we make sure that inputs from all participants of the energy sector, especially the consumers, are thoroughly noted so we can come up with a more comprehensive and sound policy,” Cusi added.

The event served as the culminating consultation in a series of GEOP public consultations following the Visayas leg in Bacolod City and the Mindanao leg in Davao City held last September 4 and 12, respectively.

The consultations brought together RE stakeholders, distribution utilities, electric cooperatives and end users to raise their concerns and suggestions on the GEOP.

The participants' comments and suggestions were mostly on the implementation details, including contracting timeline under the GEOP, sourcing of RE suppliers, incentives for RE developers under the RE law and cost component transparency towards consumers.

The GEOP forum was led by NREB Chair Atty. Jose Layug, Jr. as keynote speaker together with OIC for Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) Director Mylene Capongcol and GEOP Committee Chairman Ernesto B. Pantangco.

About 200 participants from NREB, government agencies, distribution utilities and renewable energy stakeholders attended the Luzon leg.

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