Ang Pahayagan

ZAMBALES — Another green energy project has been proposed for development in Zambales, which already hosts several solar energy generating facilities in at least two municipalities.

According to reports gleaned from project filing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), a wind farm capable of generating 300 megawatts (MW) of power, will be built in the neighboring towns of Botolan and Cabangan.

The proponent, renewable energy firm Alba Viento Power Corp., will construct the P34.8-billion wind farm beginning the first quarter of 2027, with commercial operation expected to begin in early 2029.

The project will cover a total of 4,698 hectares and will connect to the Botolan substation of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Alba Viento Power, a special-purpose company wholly owned by Alba Renewables Philippines Corp., has secured a 25-year energy service contract from the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and utilize wind energy in Zambales.

The company said it will use higher-capacity wind turbine generators to maximize output while minimizing disturbance within the contract area.

Wind energy still occupies a relatively small part of the Philippines’ energy mix, with an installed capacity of 443 MW, or just about 1.6 percent of the total for both renewable and non-renewable sources, as of 2020.

The country has several operational wind farms, with the Burgos Wind Project in Ilocos Norte being the largest at 150 MW.

The proposed Zambales wind farm will have twice of the Ilocos Norte facility’s capacity and is expected to contribute significantly to meeting the increasing need for sustainable energy solutions. Zambales is also home to SanMar Solar, a 585-MW solar power plant in San Marcelino town, which is currently the largest operational solar farm in the Philippines, and Gigasol Solar, which is operated by ACEN Corp. in Palauig, Zambales with current capacity of 363 MW. – Taktikom News & Features