Three wind power plants are expected to be completed in 2016 and 2017 and contribute 165 megawatts to the Luzon grid, according to the Energy Department.
Latest data from the department showed that Energy Logics Philippines Inc.’s 48-MW Pasuquin East wind power project in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte was expected to be completed by June this year. The project is estimated to cost P6.048 billion.
Alternergy Sembrano Wind Corp.’s 72-MW wind project in Mabitac, Laguna, costing P7.056 billlion, is due for completion by April 2017.
Northern Luzon UPC Asia Corp. is expected to complete the 45-MW Balaoi wind power project in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte in August 2017.
Six wind projects are now operating and delivering power to the grid. Of these projects, three were included in the first wave of wind installation target.
ERC approved a feed-in tariff rate of P8.53 per kilowatt-hour for Energy Development Corp.’s 150-MW Burgos wind project, Northwind Power Development Corp.’s 18.9-MW phase 3 wind project and North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp.’s 81-MW Caparispisan wind project in Ilocos Norte.
Projects under the second wave of wind installation targets include Trans-Asia Renewable Energy Corp.’s 54-megawatt San Lorenzo wind power project in Guimaras, PetroWind Energy Inc.’s 36-MW Nabas wind project in Aklan and Alternergy Wind One Corp.’s 54-MW Pililla wind power project in Rizal.
These wind projects under the second wave are eligible for the approved feed-in tariff rate of P7.40 per kWh.
ERC granted a lower rate under the second wave of wind projects due to recent developments in wind technology such as efficiency levels of wind turbine and its evaluation on what would be the reasonable updated level of the FIT for the second batch of eligible wind projects.
The 144-MW wind projects eligible for the second wave of feed-in tariff brought the total number of feed-in tariff eligible wind projects to 393.9 MW, or 6.1 MW short of the total approved 400-MW installation target.
The Energy Department increased the installation target for wind under the FIT system to 400 MW from 200 MW on April 7, 2015.
The department said in its decision the treatment of capacity in excess of installation target considered the technical and commercial indivisibility of RE projects.
The last entrant RE project shall be considered eligible for FIT endorsement for total installed capacity if a portion of its capacity fills in the balance of the corresponding installation target.
“As for the FIT that will apply to whoever will take up the remaining 6.1 MW of the total wind installation target, the commission shall fix the same at a later time,” it said.