Buhawind Energy Northern Luzon Corp. (BENLC), an affiliate of PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (PERC), has received pre-development environmental clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to proceed with critical site studies for its 2,000-megawatt offshore wind (OSW) project in Ilocos Norte.
The Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), granted on 29 May, authorizes BENLC to conduct geophysical, geotechnical, marine, environmental, and social surveys to establish baseline data essential for the project’s design and environmental impact assessment.
BENLC is a joint venture between PERC’s renewable energy arm PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC) and Danish renewable developer Copenhagen Energy (CE). The project is one of the most advanced OSW initiatives in the country, marking a significant step toward scaling up the country’s clean energy capacity.
“With the pre-development ECC approval, we will now initiate a systematic and scientific study of the site’s physical and social setting that will not only meet international industry standards but also provide a factual basis for assessing development concerns,” said Yrel Ventura, PGEC AVP for environment and community relations.
The Ilocos Norte project was previously certified by the Department of Energy (DOE) as an Energy Project of National Significance and granted a green lane certificate by the Board of Investments in November 2024, reflecting its alignment with the Philippines’ strategic energy and investment goals.
Expected to create 24,000 jobs over its construction and 30-year operational period, the project represents a major corporate and sectoral milestone in the Philippines’ OSW roadmap. PGEC and CE are also jointly developing additional 1,000-MW offshore wind projects in Northern Mindoro and East Panay.
The DOE recently reported that 16 frontrunner OSW projects with a combined potential capacity of 16,652 MW are targeting construction starts by 2027 and energy generation by 2028.
