THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental signed on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, a Power Purchase Agreement with the WeGen Energy Philippines Inc. for a 1,270 kilowatt hour (kW) Rooftop Solar Project across several entities of the province.
The signing of the Power Purchase Agreement, led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Anthony Padasas of WeGen Energy Philippines Inc., will bring a positive impact since the province can save about P404,537,528 in electricity bill in 25 years.
Lacson said the Province’s Rooftop Solar Project is expected to supply at least 40 percent of its power requirements, with an estimated annual savings of P9,637,749 and an estimated annual energy yield of 1,690,833 kWh.
He said the total renewable energy generated by the project in the province is enough to power approximately 5,318 homes for an entire year.
Under the agreement, WeGen Energy Philippines Inc. will install solar panels with a total capacity of 1,270.50kWp on Provincial Government-run hospitals in the cities of Kabankalan and Himamaylan, Provincial Capitol, Negros First Cyber Centre, Negros Residences, and Food Terminal Market of Occidental Negros (FTMON).
The Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee, led by the Department of Energy, through Resolution No. 8, s. 2023, directs all government entities to source at least 20 percent of their energy requirements from renewable sources.
Lacson also said the project has numerous positive environmental impacts, including avoiding 25,521 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 25 years, the equivalent of planting 421,987 trees.
He said it also offsets the use of approximately 2,506,947 gallons of diesel that would have been required to produce the same energy output and prevents the use of 28,348,799 pounds of coal.
By implementing rooftop solar projects across various provincial entities, he added that the government is leading by example and turning its commitments into action.
Lacson said the Provincial Government, together with multiple stakeholders, has launched SecuRE Negros, a roadmap for renewable energy development in the province. (MAP)