CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government is moving to adopt solar power as part of its efforts to improve energy efficiency after breaking ground for a P12-million on-grid rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system for the Executive and Legislative buildings on Wednesday, June 3.
The project, which city officials said is targeted for completion by August, is expected to offset around 30 percent of the electricity consumption of the two buildings.
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Mayor Nestor Archival led the groundbreaking ceremony together with officials from the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of General Services (DGS), and the city’s Energy Conservation Office.
Archival said the two buildings currently incur around P1.5 million in monthly electricity costs.
Based on the contractor’s estimates and the project’s terms of reference, the solar PV system is expected to reduce power consumption by at least 30 percent, although actual output may vary depending on weather conditions.
The mayor said the projected reduction could translate to savings of around P400,000 to P500,000 a month.
Annual savings could reach around P4.8 million to P6 million.
The city government initially allocated P15 million for the project, but the contract was eventually awarded for around P12 million covering both buildings.
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Officials said the solar facilities are expected to be operational by August.
Archival explained that the project utilizes an on-grid system, meaning the solar panels are connected to the existing power distribution network.
Under the setup, electricity generated by the solar panels supplements power supplied by the utility provider. If solar generation decreases due to cloudy weather or other factors, the remaining power requirement is automatically sourced from the grid.
He said the system does not prioritize specific facilities or equipment, such as elevators or air-conditioning units, but instead contributes to the buildings’ total electricity demand.
However, Archival noted that because the project does not include battery storage, the solar panels cannot provide electricity during power outages.
“Kung mag-brownout unya wala ta’y battery, wa’y gamit ang solar. Mapawong gihapon,” he said.
(If there is a power outage and there are no batteries, the solar system cannot operate and power will still go out.)
According to Archival, Cebu City currently has around 17 to 18 major government buildings.
He said the city aims to install solar systems in at least half of these facilities within the next three years.
The mayor said savings generated from the initial project will help fund additional solar installations in the future.
Department of General Services head Atty. June Maratas said the project forms part of the implementation of City Ordinance No. 2772, which Archival authored while serving as a city councilor.
The ordinance provides for the upgrading of city government buildings to solar power systems.
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Maratas said the city had already energized a 300-kilowatt solar panel system at the South Road Properties (SRP) Complex last year, making the Executive and Legislative Building project the second major solar installation undertaken by the city government.
He added that another solar power project is expected to be installed before the end of the year at the ABC Building and Bagsakan Complex in the SRP.
Department of Energy-Central Visayas Regional Director Renante Sevilla said the agency is encouraging local government units across Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas to undertake similar renewable energy projects.
Sevilla said cities with high electricity demand stand to benefit from adopting solar power systems.
“We really encourage them. Kung naa ilahang rooftop, then, we encourage them to put up also, same with what Mayor Nestor also did diri sa Cebu City,” he said.
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(We really encourage them if they have available rooftops, then we encourage them to put up also, same with what Mayor Nestor did here in Cebu City.)
He noted that Mandaue City has already started implementing similar initiatives and encouraged other local governments with available rooftop spaces to consider installing solar facilities.
According to Sevilla, Cebu City’s electricity requirements make it one of the local government units that could significantly benefit from shifting to renewable energy.
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