Who Else Wants to Invest in the Philippines?

           http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmechtley/2110083185

The title of this post reflects what came into my mind when I read the news from Sun Star. These 10 companies will be great addition to others who started investing on renewable energy here in the Philippines specifically solar energy. This will be a big help in the realization of Philippine government's dream to fully energize the rest of the country, particularly in the remote areas.

The report said that 10 German companies are set to visit the Philippines soon to consider the renewable energy sources of the country as an investment opportunity. Let’s hope that this will be happen.

Here's the whole story.

"ABOUT 10 German companies are set to visit the Philippines soon to study the potential investment opportunities in the country for renewable energy, specifically on photovoltaic solar power generation, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

Citing reports from the Philippine embassy in Berlin, the DFA said that a special program has been organized by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) for German companies to familiarize themselves on the country’s investment potential.

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe Natividad reported that German firms have “renewed confidence” on the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

In a workshop on solar energy technologies organized in Berlin by the GIZ and the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology(BMWi), Natividad told German executives that “the Philippines aims to provide electricity to 90 percent of all households by 2017,” which she added can “only be made possible by harnessing solar energy that can reach the most remote communities.”

Regular and traditional transmission systems can no longer work in remote communities as these systems are only viable in high-density populated areas.

She added that while in 2010, the installed solar power capacity of the Philippines was only 0.01 percent or one-ten thousandth of the total installed capacity nationwide and may appear to be negligible.

 This, however, means that there is still a big potential for development and expansion, Natividad stressed."

source: Sun Star 

Philippines and Solar Photovoltaic Emerging Market

                                 http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/2102790208


While news is spreading that our beloved Philippines including Israel, Canada and South Africa will be the next emerging market for solar photovoltaics (PV) market, Italy is set to beome the largest in the world. It has already installed three times the volume of the current global leader, Germany in the first half of the year.


In 2010, it was Germany which has the biggest market in the world which is approximately 50% of the global market last year due to the installed power of almost eight gigawatts of new solar PV power.


Countries included in the top ten were Czech Republic (1,151,000 kW of Solar PV power installed in 2010), Japan (990,979 kW), the US (918,000 kW), France (719,000 kW), China (400,000 kW), Spain (392,000 kW), Australia (383,300 kW) and Belgium (357,860 kW).


The above ranking however will change specially when when the government is reducing the amount of financial incentives available for solar PV power and renewable energy developments, example of which is the Czech Republic. Japan however may inch up due to the Fukushima disaster earlier this year.


The Philippines also has a big chance of getting on in the top 10 due to massive government support on renewable energy development. Actually we need to be faster as China and India are also set to become major players. India has introduced National Solar Mission and China recently announced its own feed-in tariff system.