A methane gas-based energy facility has secured its certificate of compliance (CoC) from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), effectively giving it the assets the green light to finally go into commercial operation.
Project developer Hacienda Bioenergy Corporation (HBC) has gotten approvals for three of its renewable energy-generating sets.
The installed capacity of the generating sets, which are utilizing methane gas derived from animal waste as fuel, is at aggregate 500 kilowatts (kW). These are sited in Boston Ridge, Panda and Buenavista farms in Bulacan province.
In regard to the issuance of the COCs, the regulator emphasized that “HBC has fully complied with the documentary requirements set by the ERC for generation companies and was found to have satisfied all the environmental, technical and financial requirements.”
The inspection process for all three facilities, it added, were undertaken January this year. And since these are self-gen facilities, the ERC averred that HBC is not subject to market share limitations as set out under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.
ERC chairperson Zenaida G. Cruz-Ducut intimated that “HBC’s pioneering example in turning animal waste into other productive use, such as for power generation, is a big step towards achieving the envisioned energy independence in the Philippines.”
Based on data provided with the power industry regulator, HBC is owner and operator of more than 60 renewable energy generating facilities in the Philippines.
“Out of the said sixty (60) generation facilities, eighteen (18) facilities have been issued COCs to date,” the ERC said.
