Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation (CREC) has switched on the Batangas 1 Power Plants, consisting of the Lumbangan and Luntal projects. The projects will have a capacity of 197 MW of hybrid agro-solar with a 320 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). The projects are a part of CREC’s plan to add 5 GW of renewable capacity within the next five years. The Philippines has a goal of achieving 50 per cent renewable share in the energy mix by 2040.
Moreover, the projects are expected to provide electricity to about 158,000 households and offset 265,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. In addition to power generation, agrivoltaic practices will be applied, where crops are grown beneath and around the solar panels. This method reduces land-use conflicts between farming and energy projects while improving land productivity and supporting local agriculture.
Earlier this month, the Philippines Department of Energy announced the results of the fourth green energy auction (GEA-4), with 9,423.622 MW of the 10,653 MW tendered capacity subscribed at an 88 per cent rate, covering 111 accepted bids across solar, onshore wind, and solar-plus-storage segments.
