Vol. XXI, No. 159 [ Business World Online ]
Thursday, March 13, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
CAGAYAN DE ORO City will be the government’s pilot area for an energy efficient lighting (EEL), as the city overhauls its street lighting system to save on power costs.
The local government unit and the Energy department last month signed a memorandum of agreement with the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. (Cepalco) that operationalizes an EEL for the city streets.
Cepalco has estimated that the city can save as much as P13 million annually if it replaces all its street light bulbs with 70-watt units rather than 250-watt units.
Power rates in Northern Mindanao are highest for street lights, and fall within the range of P6.88-P7.23 per kilowatt-hour.
Further, the energy saved can be used by other users to provide light and access for those areas yet unreached by power utilities, added Cepalco.
The three-way partnership will also implement guidelines on Energy Conserving Design of Buildings, guidelines on Roadway Lighting, and other EEL-related standards and guidelines developed under the project on both private and government-owned buildings.
Common reason
All parties claimed that in the Philippines, overly designed street light is a common reason why local government units incur unpaid power bills.
Poorly designed or lit roads, and largely the absence of street lights in some areas, also aid crime and cause vehicular accidents.
The Cagayan de Oro project is part of the Energy department’s medium-term venture, the Philippine Efficient Lighting Market Transformation Project (Pelmatp), that aims to address issues of energy economics, efficiency, and general safety.
Savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions are due from lower consumption in households, and commercial and industrial establishments.
Pelmatp, supported by a $3.13-million grant from the United Nations Development Program’s Global Environment Facility, was developed with the technical assistance of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers, Philippine Lighting Industry Association and Energy Efficiency Practitioners Association of the Philippines.
Under the program, GHG emissions due to lighting are expected to diminish starting this year as the Energy department significantly increases utilization of new and renewable energy resources for power generation. — MKCC
