Philippines: NGCP prepares for higher RE capacity

Philippines: NGCP prepares for higher RE capacity

THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said on Friday it is
making preparations to ensure that the grid can fully accommodate all
incoming renewable energy (RE) sources with the full implementation of
Republic Act 9513, also known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.

The RE Law is an "act promoting the development, utilization and
commercialization of renewable energy resources and for other purposes."

"Because of the intermittent nature of some renewable energy sources,
particularly solar and wind, balancing the system's supply and demand
becomes challenging. We took the initiative to set integration standards to
avoid compromising the integrity of the grid," the power grid operator said.

To allow smooth access for RE plants to the grid, NGCP has already
established RE integration standards and proposed the Variable Renewable
Energy content in the Philippine Grid Code, which was later on approved by
the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

It also conducted a System Impact Study (SIS) to assess the best possible
configuration and grid entry points for RE projects.

In 2016, RE capacity for the entire Philippines was pegged at 1,189.66
megawatts (MW) or 9.71 percent of the total installed capacity.

Of this capacity, Luzon had 667.66 MW, Visayas had 461 MW, and Mindanao had
61 MW, accounting for 6.86 percent, 24.37 percent, and 4.04 percent
respectively, of the installed generation capacity in each grid.

The figures are expected to increase as the Department of Energy (DOE) is
targeting to reach 30 percent RE installed capacity in the generation mix.

NGCP is also improving its forecast system for RE plants to anticipate
possible changes in the plants' power production that might negatively
impact the grid.

"NGCP is supportive of the government's policy of increasing RE installed
capacity. Despite the challenges it brings to the management of the grid,
NGCP sees this as a step closer towards cleaner and more sustainable energy
sources for the country," grid operator said.

NGCP also reiterated that a Grid Impact Study (GIS) is necessary to
determine whether an RE plant will integrate smoothly into the current
system, or if improvements or adjustments to the grid are necessary.

"It is critical that a GIS be conducted first so that RE developments are
synchronized with our grid improvement projects. This will ensure that all
RE capacities are fully dispatched and utilized by end-consumers," NGCP
explained.

NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining,
and developing the country's power grid. It transmits high-voltage
electricity through "power superhighways" that include the interconnected
system of transmission lines, towers, substations, and related assets.

The consortium, which holds the 25-year concession contract to operate the
country's power transmission network, is comprised of Monte Oro Grid
Resources Corp. led by Henry Sy, Jr., Calaca High Power Corporation led by
Robert Coyiuto, Jr., and the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) as
technical partner.

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Ref:
http://www.manilatimes.net/ngcp-prepares-for-higher-re-capacity/288826/

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com