PetroEnergy secures permits for Palawan solar power project

MANILA, Philippines - PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (PERC) has secured the necessary environmental clearances to pursue its proposed 10-megawatt (MW) solar project in Puerto Princesa.

The company said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau Region 4B (DENR-EMB 4B) has issued an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to its subsidiary PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC).

“In approving the project ECC, EMB 4B noted that PGEC has satisfied all the requirements for the ECC application and cited the key conditions and measures expected of PGEC during project implementation,” it said.

PGEC also secured the nod of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) after the latter issued the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance for the project in Puerto Princesa City.

PetroEnergy also said local government units in Puerto Princesa have earlier formalized their support for the project.

Barangay, city environmental and natural resource office (CENRO) and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (city legislative council) have issued various clearances and resolutions in favor of the project.

With all the clearances secured, PGEC’s planned 10-MW solar facility is expected to be the first green and renewable energy-sourced power facility in Puerto Princesa City and province of Palawan. Currently, the island province gets its power supply from diesel and bunker plants.

Currently, PGEC is discussing with the Palawan Electric Cooperative the technical requirements for connecting the facility to the Paleco grid system.

The facility, expected to cost P855 million, has a contingent battery storage which will help mitigate Puerto Princesa’s power problems.

It is among the projects in the pipeline in the next two years, with target commercial operations by the first quarter of 2018.

Other projects include the P1.9-billion, 12-MW Maibarara geothermal-power project expansion in Batangas, the P1.6-billion, 14-MW expansion of the Nabas wind farm in Aklan and the P2.4-billion, 49-MW Tarlac-2 solar power project.

Once all the projects are completed, they will help the company nearly double its capacity from 100 MW in the next two years, PERC vice president Francisco Delfin Jr. said earlier.