MANILA – To support the 90% household electrification goal of the Philippines with renewable energy (RE), the German-government-owned international cooperation company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI), Inc. are organizing the fifth business trip of German RE companies to the Philippines from October 26 to 30, 2015.
Eight German solar PV and micro-grid companies and three RE experts will form the delegation. The German companies will include 8p2 Ingenieurspartnerschaft, an engineering firm specializing in technical inspection and consulting; Autarsys GmbH, a provider of modular energy storage systems; IB Vogt GmbH, a global solar EPC company; IBC SOLAR AG, an international provider of comprehensive solar solutions; PV2 Energie GmbH, a solar project developer; Qinous GmbH, a provider of plug & play energy storage solutions; SaEnergy Systems GmbH, whose “Power&Life Container” provides independent and stand-alone energy supply; Solea AG, a leading turnkey PV systems provider; and the experts from eclareon GmbH, a consulting firm focusing on renewable energy.
Innovative off-grid RE power generation and distribution solutions are required to achieve the household electrification goals of the country. Locations in remote areas and on small islands make electricity line extensions unfeasible. Stand-alone micro-grid solutions powered by RE and hybridization of diesel plants, backed up by intelligent battery and power management systems, offer a promising path towards electrifying those communities. The visiting German companies have developed such solutions and are looking for partners in the private and public sectors to implement them in the Philippines.
The “renewables – Made in Germany” initiative has conducted four business trips of German companies to the Philippines, which resulted in the establishment of business partnerships and local sales offices, joint ventures, and project development.
Representatives from the media are invited by GIZ and the German Embassy to a press conference on October 26, 2015, 10:30 am–1:00 pm at the Intercontinental Hotel, Makati, for updates on the prospects of RE in achieving the electrification goals of the Philippines. In the presence of the German Ambassador H.E. Thomas Ossowski, experts from the Philippines and Germany will also be available for questions and answers. Mario Marasigan, Director of the Philippine Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau, will talk about the status of the government’s electrification programs and the role of RE. Ed Piamonte, National Electrification Administration (NEA) Deputy Administrator, will discuss the increasing role of RE in electric cooperatives and NEA. Urbano C. Mendiola, National Power Corporation (NPC) Vice-President, will outline NPC-Small Power Utility Group programs on the hybridization of diesel power generation with solar energy. Kokoy Villegas, Philippine Solar Power Alliance Vice-President, will illustrate the Philippines’ private-sector perspective on the future of solar energy in rural electrification, after which representatives from the German companies will introduce their technologies and solutions.
The press conference will be part of the week-long business trip that will include the fifth Philippine German Forum on PV-Hybrid in Off-Grid & Mini-Grid Solutions on October 28, 2015 in Cebu. It will be followed by two days of intensive business matchmaking and a field trip exposing the German companies to project opportunities in the off-grid sector. (Eagle News Service/GIZ)
