THE Department of Energy (DOE) vowed to shorten the processing days of applications filed before the agency, in a bid to fast-track proposed energy projects of the private sector.
“From 45 days, we would like to make to 25 days the permitting process, in order to reduce the backlog. This is in line with what the President said,” Energy Undersecretary Felix Willam B. Fuentebella said.
The agency earlier launched the Energy Vehicle One Shared System (Evoss), a Web-based monitoring of renewable-energy (RE) applications.
Originally patterned after the One-Stop Facilitation and Monitoring Center Web Portal for Mindanao RE projects, spearheaded by the Mindanao Development Authority together with the DOE and other concerned agencies, the Evoss aims to facilitate and streamline the process of RE applications side-by-side the increase in the efficiency of all concerned agencies while fostering a strong private-public sector partnerships built on good governance, transparency and accountability.
“We are using Evoss. We are also looking at processing two services—the technical and the legal aspects of the applications—at the same time, so that it’s faster also for other agencies to act and resolve on these applications. As you know, some applications have to secure the approval of other agencies, not only the DOE, that is why on our part, we are already fast-tracking the processing of applications,” Fuentebella said.
He also said the Evoss is the most transparent way to track the status of RE applications.
The Evoss can track the number of days an application is pending with a certain government agency. It tells the status of an application and states how long before an approval is secured, among others.
The Evoss is a joint undertaking of the DOE with the United States Agency for International Development Building Low Emission Alternatives to Develop Economic Resilience and Sustainability (B-Leaders) Project.