10 November 2009 - Alternergy Philippines is to develop six wind power projects in the Southeast Asian nation according to the Department of Energy.
Based on documents submitted to the agency, Alternergy's wind farms will be located in Kalayaan, Laguna; Pilillia, Rizal; Aparri, Cagayan; Santa Ana, Cagayan; Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte; and Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro.
The facilities will entail investments of $14.1m each for a total of $84.6m. Two of the company's proposed wind farms will carry a 40 MW capacity each while the capacities of the other four have yet to be determined.
The Energy department has already given Alternergy the green light to pursue the projects as part of more than $300m worth of wind service contracts the government approved recently. The government is banking on the development of indigenous renewable energy sources such as wind power to secure the country's supply.
Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes earlier said that "studies by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows that the [Philippines] has a total wind resource of 76 600 MW."
Alternergy is a renewable energy firm headed by former Secretary Vince Perez. The company has investments in the 33-megawatt Bangui Bay wind farm in Ilocos, along with NorthWind Power Development Corp.
In September, Alternergy tied up with Eurus Energy Japan Corp. and Korea East West Power Co. (EWP) for a $100m investment to develop renewable energy projects in the Philippines.
EWP is a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corp. (Kepco) while Eurus Energy Japan is a subsidiary of Eurus Energy Holdings Corp. of Japan. The latter is a joint venture between by Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc. and Toyota Tsusho Corp.