Monday, September 21, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES [ BusinessWorld Online ]
LOPEZ-LED Energy Development Corp. (EDC) said it would commission the first phase of its 86-megawatt (MW) wind farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte by the third quarter of next year.
"We have to commission the first phase by 2010, hopefully... in the third quarter," Paul A. Aquino, EDC vice-chairman, president and chief executive officer, told reporters last week.
Mr. Aquino, however, said the commissioning of the first unit would depend on the terms of the winning contractor for the facility.
Mr. Aquino added that the commissioning would also "depend on the weather, and plenty of logistics. And the winning contractor will say how much he can put up based on the logistics."
Wind and tide patterns will also be factored in, Mr. Aquino added. Once operational, the 86-MW wind facility in Ilocos Norte will make the country the biggest developer of commercial wind energy.
At present, the only wind power facility in the country is Northwind Development Corp.’s 33-MW wind farm in Bangui Bay, Ilocos Norte. While the wind farm supplies about 40% of Ilocos Norte’s needs, it only accounts for 0.33% and 0.25% of the Luzon and national grids, respectively.
The Department of Energy (DoE) recently awarded EDC a service contract for the 86-MW wind project covering 1,296 hectares in Burgos.
The government is aiming to ensure energy security by encouraging investments in indigenous energy sources, especially with the passage of the Renewable Energy Law. The DoE is looking at doubling the country’s renewable energy capacity to 9,000 MW in the next 10 years.
Mr. Aquino, however, said EDC’s focus remains on developing its geothermal capacity.
EDC is buying the Palinpinon and Tongonan geothermal complex, with capacities of 92.5 MW and 112.5 MW, respectively.
EDC is the country’s leading developer of geothermal energy, accounting for over 62% or 1,199 MW of total installed capacity prior to the Palinpinon-Tongonan purchase.
EDC had said the Palinpinon-Tongonan acquisition would turn the company into the world’s top geothermal producer, overtaking American energy firm Chevron Corp.’s yearly output of 1,273 MW. EDC won the Palinpinon-Tongonan geothermal facilities on Sept. 2 in bidding conducted by the state-led Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. — Jose Bimbo F. Santos
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