• CHERYL G. CRUZ
A solar farm with battery energy storage system (BESS) is being eyed in a 180-hectare land in Barangay Luna, Cadiz City in Negros Occidental, with proposed project cost of about P13.84 billion.
The proposed 171.11MWac Luna Solar Power Project of South Cleanergy Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Renewables Inc., aims to construct and operate a greenfield, standalone solar farm with BESS that will supply power to the local grid throughout the year.
As per the project description for scoping, South Cleanergy Inc. said they are eyeing the start of construction in the first quarter of 2026 while commercial operation is targeted in the fourth quarter of 2027.
This proposed solar power plant and battery energy storage system will help augment the demand for reliable and affordable power supply, the proponent company said.
It will also support the plan of the Department of Energy to shift to cleaner source of energy to reduce the GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from the energy sector. “By 2040, DOE envisions that about 15 percent of the total power requirement shall be supplied by solar power.”
The plant will generate 239.56MWdc (171.11MWac) and will occupy about 180 hectares of land. The storage capacity of the BESS, on the other hand, will be 306 MWh, South Cleanergy Inc. said.
It added that about 1,000 skilled and non-skilled workers will be needed during the peak of construction phase and an average of 200 workers during normal days.
Technical, environmental, and land use considerations were considered in the selection of the project site, the company said, adding the “absence of critical habitats within the project site, solar irradiance, and its proximity to possible tapping point – the NGCP Cadiz Substation – were some of the main factors that contributed to its selection.”
The project’s indicative cost of P13.846 billion, meanwhile, covers the detailed engineering studies and designs, including the conduct of feasibility study and acquisition of necessary government permits and licenses; site preparation; construction of parent stock breeder farm, hatchery, broiler farms, and support facilities; procurement of necessary equipment and materials; environmental management and protection, air pollution devices, and wastewater treatment facilities; and environmental monitoring activities.
The DENR-Environmental Management Bureau in Western Visayas has already scheduled a public scoping for the project on Feb. 18 in the city.
The public scoping is an early stage in the Environmental Impact Assessment process where the proponent aims to provide an overview of the proposed project, and gather issues and concerns and other relevant information for the scope of work and terms of reference in the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement, the EMB said in its notice. | CGC
