PetroGreen unit secures environmental clearance for Capiz solar farm
The Visayas grid is expected to get additional solar capacity by 2028 after EcoSolar Energy Corp. (ESEC) clinched the environmental clearance required to advance its utility-scale solar development in Capiz province.
In a statement on Tuesday, June 2, ESEC said it has secured an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for the 98.2-megawatt direct current (MWdc) Panitan solar power project (PSPP) in the namesake Capiz municipality. This grant, which was presented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 6, allows the company to advance the facility’s development as it has been certified that the project would not have any negative impact on the environment.
This means that the solar project can continue its remaining pre-development works, construct the facility, and upgrade the 138-kilovolt (kV) Panitan substation. The company aims to complete this project and begin operations on or before the end of next year.
ESEC is a unit of PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC), which is a joint venture (JV) of Yuchengco-led PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (PERC) and Japan’s Kyuden International Corp. (KIC).
Yrel V. Ventura, PGEC’s assistant vice president for environment and community relations, said that this project is backed by Capiz provincial government leaders, Panitan municipal officials, as well as local stakeholders.
“As important, this investment by the Yuchengco Group of Companies (YGC) will add much-needed power to the Visayas grid, which has been plagued by constant red and yellow alerts recently,” he said.
Furthermore, the solar project is anticipated to provide socioeconomic returns to Capiz through job creation, local procurement opportunities, as well as community-based programs.
“Another key feature of the proposed PSPP is the integration of an agrivoltaics component, which supports both food and energy security by combining solar power generation with agricultural production,” the company said, citing the importance of a dual-purpose project that supports crop production, nursery operations, and other farm-based enterprises within barangays Timpas and Capangao.
Last year, the company secured a similar ECC for its battery energy storage system (BESS), which is set to switch on sometime in the fourth quarter of this year. - Gabriell Christel Galang