Italian firm eyes wind power projects in Mindoro

MANILA, Philippines - Italian power firm Brulli Energia is planning to put up wind power projects in Oriental Mindoro, a local official said.

Rep. Rodolfo Valencia of Oriental Mindoro and a member of the house committee on energy, said Oriental Mindoro has the potential to develop more than 200 megawatts of power generated from wind, hydro, and geothermal sources.

“The province is abundant with natural resources to explore and convert into power,” he said.

Valencia said a number of investors including Brulli are keen on exploring the potential sources of power in the province.

“There are Italian investors now looking at some wind power projects,” he said.

He said Brulli Energia is apparently in the process of conducting studies on the land foundation and soil analysis for its proposed power projects.

Valencia said the Italian power firm has informed him that they are nearing financial closure on its credit facility.

Brulli Energia was a result of a merger between Energeo company, specialized in production and transmission of electric energy, and 50-year experienced Brulli, present since 1956 in the building of civil and industrial plants.

Valencia said Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc. (Phesi) is also looking at Oriental Mindoro’s potential power resources.

In 2004,the DOE also signed pre-commercial contracts with Phesi for four wind sites including Mindoro Oriental. The three other projects were in Marinduque; Baleno, Masbate; Abra de Ilog; and Tablas, Romblon.

A study made by the United States Department of Energy-National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows that the Philippines’ wind potential could power up to 76,000 MW.  The same study shows that 47 provinces out of 73 in the Philippines have at least 500 MW wind potential and another 25 provinces with at least 1,000 MW.

Another study conducted by the WWF shows that 1,038 wind sites in the country could generate about 7,404 MW of electricity. The WWF study identified 686 wind potential sites in 28 provinces in Luzon or equivalent to 4,900 MW. A total of 305 wind sites with a total potential of 2,168 MW can be found in Visayas. About 47 sites in Mindanao have a potential of generating 336 MW of electricity.

In 2006, Mindoro Oriental had intensified the participation of private sector for the development of the province’s energy resources.

Earlier estimates said the province would need more than P1.7 billion for power investment alone.