We, the Foundation for Economic Freedom, firmly oppose the plan of the Department of Energy (DOE) to increase the installation target for solar energy from 50 Megawatts to 500 Megawatts (MW) under the Feed-in-Tariff Subsidy of PHP 9.80 per KWh on the pretext that the country has to build energy reserves in the summer months of 2015 and 2016.

1. Foundation for Economic Freedom, Inc.
BOARD OF ADVISERS:
Gerardo Sicat
Cesar A. Virata
BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
Roberto De Ocampo
Chairman
Romeo Bernardo
Vice-Chairman
Calixto Chikiamco
President
Ernest Leung
Treasurer
Atty. Ricardo Balatbat III
Corporate Secretary
Anthony Abad
Art Corpuz
Eduardo Gana
Felipe Medalla
Vaughn Montes
Simon Paterno
Gloria Tan-Climaco
Francis Valera
Atty. Ricardo Balatbat III
Executive Director
105 Philippine Social Science Center (PSSC) Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City
Telefax: (632) 4532375 (Main Office) Tel No.: (632) 8939602 (Accounting)
Website: www.fef.org.ph Email: fefphilippines@gmail.com / fef@fef.org.ph
PRESS RELEASE
FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC FREEDOM OPPOSES THE INCREASE IN SOLAR
INSTALLATION CAPACITY UNDER THE FEED-IN-TARIFF (“FIT”) SUBSIDY
We, the Foundation for Economic Freedom, firmly oppose the plan of the
Department of Energy (DOE) to increase the installation target for solar energy from 50
Megawatts to 500 Megawatts (MW) under the Feed-in-Tariff Subsidy of PHP 9.80 per KWh
on the pretext that the country has to build energy reserves in the summer months of 2015
and 2016.
We believe the DOE’s decision is illogical, arbitrary, and represents an unjust burden
on Filipino electricity consumers. It is illogical because while the perceived “emergency” is
only during the summer months of 2015 and 2016, the decision will burden Filipino
electricity consumers with additional power charges amounting to PHP 12 billion annually
for the next 20 years, or a grand total of PHP 240 Billion pesos. This gigantic burden is on
top of the already approved subsidy for the existing installation targets for renewable
energy that is conservatively estimated at PHP 8 billion pesos annually for the next 20 years.
Solar energy developers will enjoy a Feed-in-Tariff (“FIT”) rate of PHP 9.68/kWh for
the 500 MW when the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) rate is at least half of

2. 105 Philippine Social Science Center (PSSC) Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City
Telefax: (632) 4532375 (Main Office) Tel No.: (632) 8939602 (Accounting)
Website: www.fef.org.ph Email: fefphilippines@gmail.com / fef@fef.org.ph
Foundation for Economic Freedom, Inc.
that. The difference between the WESM rate and the FIT rate will be shouldered by the Filipino consumers.
We estimate that the total additional bill for Filipino consumers to be at least PHP 0.32/kW hour if the
additional subsidies for the expanded solar installation capacity is taken into account.
Under the existing rules of the Feed-in-Tariff system, the renewable energy developers, including the
solar energy producers, will enjoy a guaranteed rate of return of 16% per annum for the next 20 years. The FIT
rates are fixed for 20 years, irrespective of advances in technology and reductions in cost of capital equipment.
These developers will enjoy a greater amount of abnormal profits because the FIT rates calculated by
the Energy Regulatory Commission two years ago may be too high given the drops in interest rates and the
cost of capital equipment.
The burden on Filipino consumers goes beyond the Feed-in-Tariff subsidy to Renewable Energy
developers. Solar is an intermittent power source: it doesn’t generate power at night or when the sun is
covered by clouds. It has an efficiency rating of only 16 to 20%, which means that most of the time the equip-
ment lies idle. Because of its intermittent nature, the grid has to build additional reserves. These additional
energy reserves are added costs that will be passed on to the consumers.
The additional electricity costs will further lessen the competitiveness of Filipino manufacturers and
cause job losses.
It is absurd that manufacturers and consumers have to bear this additional onerous burden for the
next 20 years to address a perceived problem that will last for a mere two months in 2015 and 2016
considering alternative solutions are possible and less expensive. The plan of the Department of Energy will

3. 105 Philippine Social Science Center (PSSC) Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City
Telefax: (632) 4532375 (Main Office) Tel No.: (632) 8939602 (Accounting)
Website: www.fef.org.ph Email: fefphilippines@gmail.com / fef@fef.org.ph
Foundation for Economic Freedom, Inc.
only fatten the profits of solar energy developers and their foreign equipment suppliers at the expense of Fili-
pino consumers who must bear the additional unjust burden, which is effectively a tax, for the next 20 years.
We, the Foundation for Economic Freedom, are not against renewable energy per se, but against the
obscene prices that must be borne by the Filipino consumers due to the exorbitant Feed-in-Tariff rates and
duration (20 years) given to renewable energy developers.
For more information, please check our website: www.fef.org.ph , or contact the following:
Ethel Briones, Program Officer – ebbriones@fef.org.ph /+63 2 453 2375
Ranna Pintor, Program Officer – rannapintor@yahoo.com / +63 2 453 2375