Renewables form bulk of new DOE-endorsed power projects

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 51 power projects have been granted certificates of endorsements (COE) by the Department of Energy (DOE) as of end-September this year, government data showed.

The COE is a requirement for the issuance of Certificate of Compliance (COC) by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), which is necessary before any generating company can start operating a power project.

The DOE data showed there are 36 renewable energy (RE) projects cleared with COEs.

Of these RE projects, there are 19 hydropower plants, nine solar farms, five biomass plants and three wind projects.

Meanwhile, 15 developments are conventional power projects composed of nine diesel plants, four natural gas plants and two coal-fired plants.

The biggest project among these projects remains Energy World Corp. Ltd.’s 650-megawatt (MW) gas-fired plant in Pagbilao, Quezon, followed by First NatGas Power Corp.’s 450-MW facility in Batangas City.

For the period, 34 companies and the Provincial Government of Ifugao were awarded COEs for their respective projects.

Among generating companies, Alsons Energy Development Corp. secured the most number of the COE for its 12 hydropower projects in Negros Occidental, Zamboanga del Sur, Davao Oriental and Sarangani province. The hydropower facilities have a combined generating capacity of 94.7 MW.

The National Power Corp. (Napocor) secured three COEs for its existing diesel-powered projects in Sagnay in Camarines Sur, Cabul-an Buenavista in Bohol and Caramoan in Catanduanes. These projects have a combined generating capacity of 225 MW.

Meanwhile, DMCI Power Corp., Hedcor Bukidnon Inc. and Solar Philippines Commercial Rooftops Projects Inc. received two COEs each for their respective projects.

DMCI Power is constructing a one-MW diesel-fired facility in Quezon and a 3.689-MW project in Roxas, both in Palawan.

Hedcor Bukdinon, on the other hand, is building the 43.4-MW and 25.4-MW hydropower projects both located in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.