Norwegian, UK firms keen on Philippine offshore wind projects
By Alena Mae S. Flores – September 6, 2023, 7:30 pm
from manilastandard.net
Norwegian and British renewable energy companies on Wednesday expressed interest in participating in the emerging offshore wind industry as part of the Philippines’ renewable energy transition.
“Norway is at the forefront of the offshore wind industry globally. Energy and the maritime sector are the two most important sectors for Norwegian companies and investments in the Philippines. The offshore wind industry is where these two sectors meet,” Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Christian Lyster said.
Meanwhile, UK firms want to share their experience in OSW and are excited about developments in the Philippine RE industry.
“The UK is proud to be the second biggest offshore wind market in the world, and home to the largest offshore wind farm in the world. I am delighted that we have been working closely with the Philippine government and our partners to share lessons from the UK’s offshore wind journey,” British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils said.
“The UK has a start-to-finish ecosystem of renewable energy suppliers. These companies are excited about the dynamic RE market in the Philippines. We are committed to support the Philippines achieve its offshore wind and wider renewable energy objectives,” Beaufils said.
“The demand is already there! If countries are going to realize their renewable energy ambitions, thousands of new workers will be needed to construct and maintain new offshore installations. The Philippines is perfectly situated to take advantage of this opportunity. We are here to help make that happen,” Lyster said.
The Royal Norwegian Embassy and British Embassy in Manila, in collaboration with Global Wind Energy Council and Det Norske Veritas, held a two-day workshop from Sept. 5 to 6, 2023 to support the Philippines’ fast moving shift to RE and rapid progression on OSW.
British and Norwegian experts from the private sector shared their insights and experiences on OSW topics ranging from port development, skills and training, grid and transmission, health and safety, to emergency preparedness.
These workshops are a continuation of on-going collaborations between the UK and Norway, across different sub-sectors in the Philippine RE industry.
The Philippines has been gaining traction in the international scene, with at least 77 service contracts awarded by the Department of Energy to local and international offshore wind developers.
