Danish firm receives first pre-dev’t ECC, natn'l significance cert for offshore wind project

MANILA— The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has awarded Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) the first pre-development Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for an offshore wind project in the Philippines. This milestone enables CIP to begin offshore geotechnical and geophysical surveys for its 1GW San Miguel Bay Offshore Wind Project in Camarines Sur, which are essential for determining the design and layout of the proposed wind farm.

An ECC is required for all renewable energy projects to ensure adherence to environmental regulations and global industry standards. This award follows the successful deployment of state-of-the-art scanning and vertical Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) devices at CIP’s project sites in May.

“We are very pleased to announce the issuance of the ECC for our pre-development activities. With this in place, we have initiated offshore site surveying, a critical step in advancing the project’s development,” said Rune Damgaard, Offshore Wind Co-CEO of Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP), CIP’s investment vehicle in the Philippines.

The partnership between the DENR and the Department of Energy (DOE) has been instrumental in accelerating offshore wind projects. DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla and DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) earlier this year to streamline the issuance of ECCs for such projects. Another MOA provides energy developers access to offshore areas for wind power exploration, which CIP welcomes as a key move to de-risk foreign investments.

Danish Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin also expressed pride in CIP’s achievement, stating that wind power is crucial to ensuring affordable, reliable energy for Filipinos and supporting the country’s growth.

In addition to the ECC, CIP’s San Miguel Bay project has been recognized with a Certificate of Energy Project of National Significance (CEPNS), a designation given to major energy projects that align with the Philippine Energy Plan and contribute to economic development and environmental protection.

CIP continues to collaborate with national agencies and local stakeholders, sharing expertise in port architecture, logistics, financing, and ensuring viable Power Purchase Agreements. The company aims to support the development of the grid infrastructure needed for offshore wind energy and looks forward to the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP) for offshore wind in mid-2025.