THE FIRST local ordinance providing incentives for investing in renewable energy (RE) came into force on Jan. 28 in Negros Oriental, provincial officials said.
鈥淭he renewable energy ordinance is a landmark piece of local legislation that will surely boost the morale of our environmental warriors and champions in the field; most of all, this will give us more drive to sustain our efforts for a clean and sustainable world,鈥 Governor Roel R. Degamo said in a statement.
The province鈥檚 RE Code awards carbon credits and a one-year tax holiday to renewable energy investors in the province.
Almana Power Corp. became the first entity to apply for incentives under the code.
鈥淭he RE Code (also) encourages all eligible institutions and companies to avail of the government鈥檚 Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), which allows power consumers with monthly consumption of at least 100 kilowatts to source鈥 renewable energy directly from licensed GEOP providers,鈥 the provincial government said in a statement.
In 2018, the province banned construction of new coal-fired power plant projects and declared March 5 Renewable Energy Day. 鈥 Marielle C. Lucenio
