Seven power generation and energy storage projects, collectively worth 716.43 megawatts (MW), were cleared to undergo system impact studies (SIS) by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in November, the Department of Energy (DOE) said on Wednesday.
The SIS process is crucial for assessing the effects of proposed power projects on the grid infrastructure, and determining if upgrades—such as new transmission lines, transformers, or substations—are necessary to accommodate the new capacity.
The projects submitted for SIS approval were all on renewable energy. The largest application relates to CleanTech Global Renewables Inc. which proposed a 187.2 MW wind farm in Tayabas, Quezon. This was followed by a 180 MW solar facility combined with a 96 MW energy storage system (ESS) of Embrace Nature Power1 Corp. in South Cotabato, and the 120 MW solar farm from Fortune Renewable Energy Corp. in Lal-lo, Cagayan.
Other significant renewable energy projects included:
Zamboanguita Solar Power Corp.: 60.012 MW in Siaton, Negros Oriental
Upgrade Energy Philippines Inc.: 47.001 MW in Pontevedra, Capiz
Enfinity Philippines Renewable Resources Third Inc.: 11.22 MW in Butuan, Agusan del Norte
Pilipinas Renewable Energy Corp.: 15 MW biomass project in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo
The DOE said not all projects submitted for approval warrant the go-ahead to proceed. Factors such as financing challenges, transmission line availability, and offtake agreements all have an impact on whether projects make it to the construction phase. Historically, only about 28 percent of SIS applications lead to the development of power plants even as demand for new energy generation continues to rise across the country.
