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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Laguna Lake floating solar projects' environmental issues resolved

Laguna Lake floating solar projects' environmental issues resolved

Published Mar 6, 2024 07:48 am

President Marcos' Economic Development Group (EDG) has resolved a critical environmental certification issue concerning the large-scale floating solar projects in Laguna Lake. 

During a recent  EDG meeting chaired by Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Frederick Go, it was decided that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would make changes to Administrative Order (AO) 2023-08.

The AO currently mandates the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to apply for a Programmatic Environmental Compliance Certificate (PECC) for projects located within Laguna Lake.

However, failure to amend the current AO would lead to delays in the implementation of the solar projects, are expected to produce up to 1,800 megawatts (MW) of electricity, from six months to two years. 

The floating solar farm projects in Laguna Lake are currently on track for completion within the next two to four years. 

During the meeting, DENR agreed to revise the guidelines outlined in the AO for obtaining Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs).

Under the revised AO, proponents of the floating solar projects will now have the authority to directly apply for the ECC from DENR, bypassing the need to go through the LLDA.

Approximately 2,000 hectares  of the 91,170-hectare inland lake have been designated for floating solar projects, which were auctioned off by the LLDA based on the Department of Energy's (DOE) recommendation.

In the next two years, the power-deficient Luzon grid, responsible for supplying electricity to the National Capital Region, will receive additional power from three floating solar farms in Laguna Lake.

The resolution of the environmental certification issue is expected to expedite the completion of the floating solar projects, aligning with the current administration's goal to implement more projects as part of the Build, Better, More Infrastructure agenda.

President Marcos during the groundbreaking of another infrastructure project said his administration intents to bring comfort and progress to Filipinos nationwide through large scale, environment friendly projects.

The solar projects will be sited in three cities and two towns in the southern and eastern parts of the lake, farthest from where commercial operations are conducted in the lake.

LLDA has given contracts to three companies  for the floating solar proiects.

They are Ayala-led ACEN Corp., which has the biggest share of the grid pie with over a thousand megawatts of capacity and eight contracts. 

This is followed by the partnership between Blueleaf Energy Asia Pte. Ltd., and SunAsia Energy, Inc. with 6 contracts and a commitment of 610.5 megawatts (MW). Vena Energy Corp. follows with 270 MW of capacity in one contract.

The total capacity of the 15 floating solar power contracts is 1,880.5 MW. This is equivalent to the electricity demand of over two million homes.

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Frederick Go Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (SAPIEA) Laguna Lake
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