By Prince Golez
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sees the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Global Power’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Bataan as the “solution” the country’s servicing baseload needs.
With this technology, Marcos Jr. said power could be stored when not needed or during times of oversupply and released when needed when there is a shortage.
“It is novel, it is innovative, it is full of promise this Battery Energy Storage System. This technology is carving a distinct path towards a more energy-secure and sustainable future for the country,” he said during the inauguration of the SMC Global Power’s BESS on Friday in Limay town.
“It is clean, it is zero-emission, zero-water extraction, no noise pollution. Given the increasing generation of renewable energy, it is vital then that we advance and incorporate Energy Storage Systems, or ESS, in our overall energy infrastructure. Indeed, it promises great rewards for our country.
“Not only will we be able to generate sufficient, reliable and clean energy, leading to more affordability of energy, and of course, generate jobs for our people—‘green jobs’—in the process,” he added.
Marcos Jr. said the government will improve the policy and regulatory framework for the renewable energy industry, especially for ESS technology, to encourage further development of the country’s fledging renewable sources of energy.
“The Department of Energy is currently working on an improved and expanded version of our ESS policy. Our legislation and the rules that we have have to catch up with the technology. Unfortunately, the general tendency is for government to be a little behind private sector in this regard. We will try to redress that balance,” according to him.
His administration, he added, also aims to increase the share of renewables in the total generation mix.
“We encourage those investments that will add to the renewable supply in our country. We will streamline and harmonize the regulatory framework, at the national and local levels, to ensure ease of doing business, to take down unnecessary regulatory burdens,” added Marcos Jr.
