LAOAG CITY — A group of Chinese investors is eyeing the establishment of another solar project in the province which could produce at least 100 megawatts (MW) of clean energy.
Provincial Board Member Mariano Marcos II, chairperson of the committee on environment, confirmed this Thursday as he reported that the foreign businessmen are exploring Ilocos Norte’s renewable energy potential as they look forward to developing around 200 hectares of land for the establishment of a solar farm.
“Together with Senior Board Member Matthew Manotoc, we had a meeting with the Chinese investors yesterday. They are relatively new in the Philippines and we are glad to assist them,” said Marcos.
On Thursday morning, Marcos said they were set to meet with representatives of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative to seek support.
In 2016, the lone power distribution utility in the province partnered with Korean company Bosung Powertec Philippines Inc. for the installation of a one-MW solar farm at the INEC’s main office in Suyo village, Dingras town.
Through a build-operate-transfer scheme, the Dingras solar farm has a total of 3,240 sheets of 310 solar modules, a 950 kilowatt inverter, and a 1,000 kilovolt-amps step-up transformer and high voltage switch gear.
Aside from Dingras, the towns of Currimao and Burgos currently host a total of 24.2-MW solar farms. The province has also wind power farms in the towns of Bangui, Burgos and Pagudpud that produce a total of 283 megawatts (MW) including a 5-MW Agua Grande hydroelectric plant, also in Pagudpud town.
As the country’s renewable energy capital, Ilocos Norte, under the administration of Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa "Imee" Marcos, continues to attract more investors to make it the first “clean, green and coal-free province” in the future. (PNA)
