Off-grid electricity producer DMCI Power Corp. announced Monday plans to build a wind power plant in Semirara Island as the company steps up it sustainability goals.
The power firm intends to finalize the wind power capacity in the coming months, placing initial capacity between 8 and 12 megawatts. The project is expected to go on stream within 12 to 15 months.
“We are also looking at solar energy to augment the supply in the island, but we are prioritizing wind resource development because it has shown the most promise,” said DPC president Antonino Gatdula Jr.
“Current studies suggest that wind power could potentially deliver a 33-percent plant utilization rate, compared to just 17 percent for solar. Capital expenditure per megawatt for both wind and solar projects are also roughly the same,” he said.
DPC said the project would be funded and undertaken independently by the company.
A 2001 wind resource study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that Semirara Island has some of the best wind resources in the Philippines.
The wind corridors between Luzon and Panay, including Semirara Islands and extending to the Cuyo Islands, were found to have good-to-excellent wind power density and speed for utility-scale or village power applications.
DPC is in the process of validating these wind resource estimates to determine the final location and capacity of its wind project.
Company officials said they plan to register the wind power project with the Board of Investments for incentives accorded to proponents of renewable energy projects.
The company operates in major islands including Masbate, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan and Sultan Kudarat.
Most of DPC’s power projects run on bunker fuel. The proposed wind farm development signals the firm’s branching out to investing in RE projects.