Republic of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City FIFTEENTH CONGRESS Second Regular Session HOUSE RESOLUTION No.

1796 ______________________________________________________________________________ Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASIO and NERI JAVIER COLMENARES RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE DECISION OF THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY THAT PUT TANTAMOUNT CAPS OF FIFTY (50) MEGAWATTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR POWER RESOURCES IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, AND 284 MEGAWATTS ON SOLAR POWER IN THE NEXT TWENTY (20) YEARS AS ARTICULATED IN THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM, IN APPARENT VIOLATION OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ACT OF 2008 (REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9513) WHEREAS, in supposed compliance with the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RA No. 9513), the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) has recently recommended a total allowed capacity target of 830 megawatts (MW) for renewable energy facilities to be put up in the country over the next three years, broken down as follows: 250 MW in new installations for hydropower facilities, 250 MW for biomass, 100 MW for solar, 220 MW for wind and 10 MW for ocean resources; WHEREAS, Section 6 of RA No. 9513 mandates the NREB to set the "minimum percentage of generation from eligible renewable energy resources." Nowhere in the law does it say that the NREB will set a "total allowed capacity target" or similar form of limit on renewable energy; WHEREAS, a number of players in the renewable energy sector are alleging that the NREB recommendations are tantamount to placing a cap on the development of renewable energy. Such cap will discourage local energy developers and derail planned renewable energy investments in the country; WHEREAS, in particular, a 100 MW target for solar power installations in three years is extremely small compared to the solar power potential of the country and the capacity of local and foreign solar technology investors to put up solar power facilities; WHEREAS, the target capacity for solar photovoltaic energy was allegedly further reduced to just 50 MW during the ERC hearing of the FIT Petition in Davao City on September 16; WHEREAS, local energy developers are in fact appealing to the NREB and the Department of Energy (DOE) to raise the current target to 269 MW for solar power in the next three years for the

Philippines to keep up with the pace of its Asian neighbors who are more aggressive in developing renewable power sources. Said proposal is expected to translate to about US$800 million or P33.6 billion of investments and the creation of thousands of jobs; WHEREAS, the miniscule proposed installed target for solar power of 284 MW for 20 years, as proposed by the DOE in its National Renewable Energy Plan, not only contradicts the spirit of the RA 9513, but also downgrades the governments valuation of renewable energy sources to the countrys overall economic development especially since the Philippines has among the highest solar irradiation levels in Southeast Asia; WHEREAS, Republic Act 9513 clearly states in Section 2 (a), (b) and (c) that the State should accelerate the exploration and development of renewable energy resources to achieve energy selfreliance, reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels and thereby minimize the country's exposure to price fluctuations in the international markets; provide fiscal and nonfiscal incentives; and encourage the development and utilization of renewable energy resources as tools to effectively prevent or reduce harmful emissions and thereby balance the goals of economic growth and development with the protection of health and the environment; WHEREAS, the current leadership of the NREB and the DOE are apparently averse to the diversification of our countrys energy mix via the improvement of our countrys competitive edge by maximizing our solar power potentials in fully implementing the Renewable Energy Act; WHEREAS, it is part and parcel of the oversight powers of Congress to probe and prod the executive in ensuring that the spirit of whatever few good laws our country has is fully recognized and implemented; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Committee on Energy conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the decision of the National Renewable Energy Board and the Department of Energy that put tantamount caps of fifty (50) megawatts on the development of solar power resources in the next three years, and 284 megawatts on solar power in the next twenty (20) years as articulated in the National Renewable Energy Program, in apparent violation of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (Republic Act No. 9513). Adopted, REP. TEDDY A. CASIO Bayan Muna Party-list REP. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES Bayan Muna Party-list