The Department of Energy (DOE) through the Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB), in collaboration with the European Union-supported Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP) conducts a month-long Virtual Training Workshop for the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) Compliance Plan of Mandated Participants this October 2020.

The online training focuses on the application of the Simplified Planning Tool (SPT)3.0 for RPS off-grid and RE resource development on the off-grid and missionary areas.

The specific schedule is as follows – Training of Trainers on 8-9 October 2020, Regional Training for Luzon Participants on 15-16 October 2020, Regional Training for Visayas Participants on 22-23 October 2020 and Regional Training for Mindanao Participants on 29-30 October 2020.

DOE Department Circular (DC) No. DC2018-18-0024 entitled “Promulgating the Rules and Guidelines Governing the Establishment of the Renewable Portfolio Standards for Off-Grid Areas” or the “RPS Off-Grid Rules,” was made effective on 29 September 2018. The DOE – Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) through leads in assisting the off-grid Mandated Participants in preparing their Renewable Portfolio Stands (RPS) Compliance Plan.

National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) - Technical Services Management Division (TSMD) Mr. Gaspar G Escobar Jr. said, “Providing energy access and security to distant households in far-flung and isolated communities through clean and renewable energy sources is a priority of the RPS Rules. The DOE is one with the energy stakeholders in accomplishing this goal in pursuit of an aggressive development and commercialization of all indigenous renewable energy resources in the Philippines,” as he leads the organization in facilitating this online event.

The RPS Implementation Rules for Off-Grid Areas aim to contribute to the growth of the renewable energy industry through diversification of energy supply, thereby, spurring socio-economic development and helping address environmental concerns. This will also rationalize the use of the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UC-ME) with the introduction of hybridization in many if not all small and isolated islands; and improve self-sufficiency in power generation.

The SPT is a tool developed by the Reiner Lemoine Institute (RLI) under the European Union-supported Access to Sustainable Energy Program (EU-ASEP), for simulating hybridized  RE supply configurations – photovoltaics (PV), wind and hydropower systems – with diesel generators and battery energy storage systems.  Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and minimum RE share, among others, are considered in the simulation results of the SPT.

Key resource speakers include DOE Assistant Secretary and concurrent Chairperson of the RPS Composite Team Redentor Delola, NREB Chairperson Atty. Monalisa Dimalanta, DOE- Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) Director Mylene Capongcol, Senior Science Research Specialist Mr. Jonathan Teodosio, and Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) Corporate Planning and Communications Head Mr. Clares Loren Jalocon. EU-ASEP Rural Electrification Experts Dr. Philipp Blechinger, Dr. Paul Bertheau and Mr. Tobias Rieper were the lead trainers.

More than a total of 100 participants composed of technical staff and authorized person in-charge for the compliance requirements for the RPS from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are expected to join in the series of this webinars. DUs in the Off-Grid Areas and the Mandated Participants i.e Generation Companies including NPC-SPUG, NPPs, and QTPs as well as DUs and local government-operated electric systems with embedded generation facilities, including future trainers of renewable energy offices of the Philippine lead energy agencies will participate this online webinar.

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The National Renewable Energy Board – Technical Services Management Division of the Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB-NREB-TSMD) may be contacted through (02) 8840-2151, 8479-2900 local 415 or e-mail remb9513@gmail.com.