Davao Light tapping solar rooftop operators for net metering scheme

DAVAO Light and Power Co., Inc., (Davao Light) the country’s third-biggest privately-owned distribution utility, is encouraging its customers with rooftop solar power systems to participate in a net metering program, which allows them to sell their excess output.
Jaime Jose Y. Aboitiz, chief operating officer of the distribution group of Aboitiz Power Corp., parent firm of Davao Light, said the company’s parent firm Aboitiz Power Corp. “fully supports” net metering.
“All our utilities cooperate with all applicants for net metering and we have in fact encouraged those we know of in our franchises that have solar rooftops but have not applied for net metering to do so,” he said.
Mr. Aboitiz issued the statement after a motorcycle and appliance retailer in Agdao, Davao City said it had become the second customer of Davao Light to apply under the utility’s net metering program.
Power solutions provider LuminAsia Renewables and Green Energy, Inc. said it had installed the 100-kilowatt (kW) capacity solar energy system on the roof of retailer Emcor, Inc.’s branch in Agdao.
A source at Davao Light confirmed that Emcor is its customer and it is participating in the utility’s net metering program. No details were given on other customers under the scheme, which has drawn participants in Luzon and the Visayas.
LuminAsia quoted Emcor as saying that it had applied to participate in the program at the maximum 100-kW capacity limit. The company said despite the system being switched off on Sundays, when the store is closed, it is still able to generate 9,269 kW per hour.
“Emcor is not new to solar energy; we’ve had three branches already fit out with solar panels in the past, each one less than 10 kW. At 100 kW, Agdao is our flagship solar-equipped branch, which stands as a testament to our going green, while benefiting from lower power costs at the same time,” LuminAsia said, quoting Emcor.
Carlos Garcia, chief executive officer of LuminAsia, said upon commissioning in March, the system was intentionally designed with no battery storage components since the building’s power requirements are mostly aligned with daylight hours.
“This allows maximum returns since batteries increase the overall cost and maintenance of the system significantly. I think it’s crucial to consider because we are in the business of power savings, not solar energy for its own sake,” Mr. Garcia said.
LuminAsia provided turnkey engineering, procurement and construction services to install the rooftop photovoltaic system for the retail store.
It said Emcor’s Agdao system is expected to generate electricity of up to 128 MWh in a year. The company is looking at expanding its green initiative to include branches in Visayas and Mindanao, it added. — Victor V. Saulon