3 sites viable for offshore wind exploration — study

Alternergy Holdings Corp. and Shell Overseas Investment B.V., through their joint preliminary studies and initial assessment, identified three feasible sites for offshore wind or OSW development exploration.

In a stock exchange disclosure on Wednesday, Alternergy announced the conclusion of the study for the offshore Wind Energy Service Contracts awarded by the Department of Energy.

"Based on these studies, the three sites are deemed feasible for offshore wind development exploration," Alternergy president Gerry P. Magbanua said.

The three sites are situated over the Tablas Strait issued to Tablas Strait Offshore Wind Power Corp. or TSOWPC.

However, the results of the study for the Calavite Passage site identified several technical issues, which could potentially "make the development unfeasible at this time given the available technical innovations and market conditions."

"The WESC covering the Calavite Passage located offshore and onshore Occidental Mindoro will be returned to the DOE under our obligations under the WESC while the development of the three Tablas Strait WESCs will be further explored," Magbanua said.

According to the Philippines OSW Roadmap, which was released this year, the country has an estimated 178 gigawatts or GW of OSW potential.

Despite the vast supply available nationwide, the OSW roadmap identified the tedious permitting process and grid assets availability as areas that need immediate resolution.

Last week, lawyer Jose M. Layug, Jr., co-chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, said the government regulators should consider venturing into OSW similar to its involvement at the Malampaya natural gas consortium.

Responding to the proposal, Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla stated that the government's participation in any energy development projects is contingent on the availability of adequate funds.