Sustainability through Solar Energy
As time passes, we see an increase in the number of companies and individuals getting inspired and becoming more willing to experiment with new ways of making their homes and buildings more energy-efficient. Some of them are in it for the savings on power bills, others want to reduce their carbon footprint and do their share to help Mother Earth.
There are a number of ways to do this: wind energy supply systems, geothermal power, solar energy, etc. In a practical sense, the most common and most accessible means of producing renewable energy is through the use of solar panels, specifically photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.
The PV solar panel is a device that converts solar energy directly to electricity. In recent years, the cost of PV panels has been decreasing exponentially, making it more accessible to homeowners and building developers. Along with advances in energy efficiency, development of environment-friendly appliances and green design, etc., constructing power-efficient homes and buildings is becoming increasingly achievable.
With our property development projects at Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), starting with Primavera Residences, we give PV solar panels to the condominium corporation so they can have free use of the power that is generated from these solar panels. The energy produced is used to power elevators, corridor lights, pumps, and other common equipment and energy requirements in the common areas. As a result, the condominium unit owners pay substantially lower energy fees.
If your property is equipped with a suitable solar power system, you can maximize its benefits by enrolling in what is called the net metering system. Net metering — an incentive scheme being carried out by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) under RA 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 — allows users to participate in the generation of renewable energy for the purpose of exportation of excess electricity to a distribution utility. More information on this may be obtained from the websites of the Department of Energy and Meralco.
Just this February (2021), the Department of Energy (DOE) released Department Circular 2020-12-0026 requiring new and existing buildings to install PV solar panels and adopt renewable energy technologies. This is part of the energy conservation guidelines being implemented in the country and this is, indeed, good news for the country and its people. It is certainly a step forward in the attainment of the Philippines’ climate action goals for the year 2030.
The use of solar energy is a concrete way by which end-users can help mitigate the effects of climate change. It is a powerful contribution to the reduction of the country’s dependence on imported and expensive fossil fuels. There are several companies in the Philippines that can be contacted for a quotation for transforming one’s house or condominium building into an energy-producing asset, why wait any longer?
About Architect Romolo Nati
Romolo Valentino Benedetto Nati known as Romolo Nati or RVN, is a multi-awarded Italian architect and businessman with interest in sustainable development (energy and real estate). He is the current Executive Chairman and CEO of Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), an Italian-Filipino real estate development firm that specializes in the design and development of sustainable buildings. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Philippine renewable energy company Constellation Energy Corporation (CEC) that focuses in acquiring, financing and developing small to medium-scale renewable energy projects across the Philippines. Follow Architect Nati on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
