Wind Energy

Wind power in Philippines – new wind farm in Ilocos Norte

After years in the pipeline, the wind energy project of the Energy Development Corporation will take off within the year, reports said.

In a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the EDC is expected to start the planned 86-megawatt wind power project in this town within the year once the feed-in-tariff rate for wind energy gets the nod.

Feed-in tariffs or renewable energy payments are policy mechanisms designed to increase investment in renewable energies.

The P14.4 billion wind farm is projected to start its commercial operation before the year ends with a manpower of 25 employees.

A subsidiary of the state-owned Philippine National Oil Company, the EDC laid down the ground works for the Burgos wind farm even ahead of the country’s first energy farm in the neighboring town of Bangui. The project will cover nearly 1,300 hectares in Barangay Saoit in Burgos.

Once the plant is fully operational, the Burgos wind farm will top the Bangui energy plant in output which is only pegged at 25 megawatt.

A pioneer in Philippine geothermal energy, the Lopez affiliate company is expanding its wind power project with another plan to put up a 40-megawatt wind farm in Pagudpud.

The energy produced from the Burgos wind farm will be fed to the national grid.

Founded in 1976, the EDC’s mandate is to explore, develop, produce and market indigenous energy sources to lessen the country’s dependence on imported oil.

It began exploring other potential wind power resources all over the country beginning 2002.

www.pia.gov.ph/