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Multilateral lender Asian Development Bank (ADB) will
provide technical assistance to a Philippine company eyeing to set
up a wind power project in the country.
In a report, ADB said it will
extend $200,000 to Energy Logics Philippines Inc. (ELPI) to fund the
firm’s feasibility study of the proposed Pasuquin East wind
project in Ilocos Norte.
The proposed facility is
projected to have a capacity of 120 megawatts, which will be set up
in stages.
The technical assistance from the
ADB aims to produce detailed technical data, design and analysis
that will form the basis for a project structure agreement between
the lender, ELPI and other investors.
ADB said ELPI had discussed the
project with the Department of Energy and the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources as well as local provincial and
municipal authorities.
”Additional consultations will
be held with civil society and affected persons as part of the
feasibility study,” according to the report.
Consultations with affected
communities will be held in accordance with national laws and in the
course of the environmental impact assessment as well.
The project, once completed, is
expected to help the country minimize its reliance on expensive oil
imports and reduce carbon emissions in the environment.
Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes
earlier said the government plans to make the Philippines the top
geothermal energy producer in the world and the No. 1 wind energy
producer in Southeast Asia under its renewable energy program.
However, a hefty amount of about
P251 billion in investments is needed for project planning alone.
The government plans to raise 66 percent of the amount from the
private sector.
Besides ELPI, Lopez-controlled
Energy Development Corp.and NorthWind Power Development Corporation
are also studying wind projects in Ilocos Norte.
Meanwhile, ELPI’s wind
exploration group is conducting feasibility studies on potential
wind farm sites in Boracay, Aklan and Nubenta, Surigao del Sur.
--Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo
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