Guimaras viable for offshore wind projects — study

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor 

The island province of Guimaras has a high potential area to accelerate the offshore wind market in the country, a United States-backed market research study showed.

RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute), in partnership with the Southeast Asia Clean Energy Facility, with funding from the United States Trade and Development Agency and Tara Climate Foundation, released the report “Philippine Market Movers” earlier this April.

The report assesses the progress made in offshore wind bankability and identifies key barriers to the Philippine government’s push for renewable energy development.

The report has identified three high-potential offshore wind development zones in the country which include Manila Bay, Tayabas Bay, and Guimaras in Western Visayas.

The three areas are zones that can accommodate fixed-bottom installations to support the current administration’s 2030 renewable energy target, according to the report.

“These three zones were chosen for their high wind speeds of greater than 7 meters per second; proximity to major load centers in southern Luzon and western Visayas; areas with relatively shallow water depths that allow for fixed foundation wind turbine designs for the market’s first project; availability of nearby potential assembly ports; and access to deeper areas for floating offshore wind farms,” read a dispositive part of the firm’s report.

RMI added that Guimaras warrants both fixed and floating foundation development, infrastructure investments, and marine spatial planning, and can support the development of longer-term floating offshore wind projects in adjacent areas.

“Given that 90 percent of the Philippines’ offshore wind technical potential is in deep waters, it is assumed that the long-term offshore wind market in the Philippines will need to focus on floating foundation turbines,” it added.

RMI Senior Associate Paula Valencia, in an interview with ANC’s Market Edge, said offshore wind is among the best types of renewable energy suited for the Philippines despite its intensive capital.

“If we get these offshore wind developed in this decade, then it will really provide that ease for us and will provide more reserves for electricity in the country,” she said, citing the prolonged power outages in Panay Island that incurred losses in the local economy.

“As we all know Panay Island faced a power shortage earlier this year due to a temporary maintenance shutdown of one of their power plants,” she added

“Connecting Panay island to Negros and Cebu with bigger transmission lines will help solve this power issue and at the same time will allow absorption and exchange of large-scale renewable energy,” Valencia continued.

The Department of Energy as of December last year, has awarded a total of 16 offshore wind energy service contracts for Western Visayas.

Six offshore wind projects were awarded for Guimaras which include the San Enrique Bank Offshore Wind Power Project, San Lorenzo Bank Offshore Wind Project, GS1 Offshore Wind Project, San Lorenzo Wind Power Project, East Panay Offshore Wind Power Project, and Guimaras Strait II Wind Power Project.