AboitizPower planning floating solar project
By Jordeene B. Lagare – July 2, 2021
from The Manila Times
A subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp. is close to completing a study to determine the viability of developing a floating solar power project.
AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Rubio said they are close to concluding a feasibility study to put up 67-megawatts floating solar facility in the Magat reservoir
“We are now on a stage of competing a feasibility study for about 60 megawatts of floating solar (facility) in the Magat reservoir,” said Rubio during The Manila Times forum entitled “Propelling Renewable Energy against Climate Change.”
Rubio also said the company is “looking at the possibility of putting floating solar” in Ambuklao, Benguet.
SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP)-a joint venture of listed AboitizPower and Norway-based renewable power producer Scatec-owns and operates the 105-megawatt (MW) Ambuklao and 140-MW Binga hydroelectric power plants in Benguet; the 388-MW Magat hydroelectric power plant on the border of Isabela and Ifugao; and the 8.5-MW Maris hydroelectric power plant in Isabela.
SNAP also owns and operates its 200-kilowatt (kW) floating solar plant in Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela, the firm’s first non-hydro renewable energy project.
“The pilot project and the initial pre-feasibility study conducted by SNAP on the floating solar have shown positive results,” said SNAP on its website.
“SNAP is now conducting a feasibility study (FS) to validate the initial results and confirm the viability of a commercial-scale project,” the company said, adding the study is expected to take 10 to 12 months.
As for the parent firm, AboitizPower has lined up several renewable projects in the pipeline, focusing on solar, wind and hydro.
AboitizPower earlier said it is targeting to commence the construction of a 74-MW solar power plant in Cayanga, Pangasinan in the second half of 2021.
It also recently completed the commissioning of two wind met masts in Pangasinan.
“We are currently gathering resource data such as the temperature, wind speed, and wind direction, among others. This is to estimate energy production and the stability of the sites that we have actually identified,” said Rubio.
Upon confirming the viability of theses sites, the AboitizPower said they can “proceed with the project development and commence tendering the construction based on the needs of the market for these wind sites.”
Likewise, AboitizPower is working on a 20-MW battery energy storage system project, he added.
AboitizPower is aiming for an almost 50:50 Cleanergy and thermal capacity mix by 2030.
AboitizPower shares climbed by 55 centavos or 2.25 percent to close at P25 each on Thursday.
