Green Energy rules to be revised following low participation levels

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said it will revise the rules of Green Energy Option Program (GEOP) to encourage more participants to buy power from renewable energy sources. 

“On this matter, we are planning to release a draft policy subject for focus group discussion by the first quarter of next year,” Jordan M. Ballaran, senior science research specialist of the DoE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau, said in a virtual briefing last week facilitated by the Clean Energy Investment Accelerator.

The GEOP is authorized by the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, open to end-users with monthly average peak demand of 100 kilowatts or more over the past 12 months.

Mr. Ballaran said that to date, uptake has been weaker than expected, with 158 end-users currently enrolled under GEOP.

“There are some provisions under the Energy Regulatory Commission rules that are not harmonized with the DoE rules,” Mr. Ballaran said.

According to the DoE, retail electricity suppliers only need a permit from the DoE to enroll to the program, but the ERC requires end-users to secure permits from both agencies.

Mr. Ballaran said that the department will discuss harmonizing the rules with the ERC. 

“We can always resort to amendments to rules or supplemental policies in the future. We will solicit comments from the public and industry stakeholders by conducting public consultations,” he said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose