The highly urbanized Bacolod City will harness a total capacity of 1,340 kilowatts (kW) of solar power to energize the Bacolod City Government Center as well as other public buildings in 15 villages to reduce electricity costs.

As of yesterday, the operation of the 400-kW capacity solar photovoltaic system on the rooftop of the Government Center has started.

“It’s already being used, so we will see the savings in the electric bill. All government offices are now being designed to have solar panels on the roofs so we can reduce cost and save the Earth,” Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said in a statement.

Based on the projection, the city government would be able to generate savings of up to P14.974 million each year through the use of a 1,340-kW solar power system, while each beneficiary-barangay could have savings of about 50 percent in electricity costs.

Barangay Taculing will host a 150-kW solar power system at the City Disaster Reduction and Management Office and the village gym; Barangay Sum-ag, 140kW, barangay hall and public market; Barangay Vista Alegre, 120kW, evacuation center and youth home; Barangay Granada, 80kW, public market; and Barangay Villamonte, 50kW, gymnasium.

The rest of the identified villages will host a solar power facility with a capacity of 40kW each, including Barangay 16, which will be installed at Rizal Elementary School, along with Alijis, Singcang-Airport, Tangub, Estefania, Pahanocoy, Handumanan, Punta Taytay, Cabug, and Felisa.

These solar power projects have an estimated budget of P100 million, being funded under the P4.4 billion loan window of the city government from the Development Bank of the Philippines. (PNA)