A major thorn on the side of the project developers will be cleared, as the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has finally affirmed its support to the repurposing of three major ports that will underpin the commercial advancement of gigawatt-scale offshore wind (OSW) farm projects.

In a statement to the media, the Department of Energy (DOE) disclosed that these are the
ports of Currimao in Ilocos Norte; Sta Clara in Batangas City; and San Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte.

“The DOE has identified these three ports as critical to OSW development, given their proximity to high potential offshore wind energy service contracts,” the department said.

It is worth noting that two frontrunner offshore wind projects being advanced by trailblazing Danish firms are sited in Ilocos Norte and the Bicol region; while the Batangas area is swamped with other projects that are also progressing aggressively on their pre-development activities.

“The PPA has formally expressed its full support to the DOE to initiate the detailed engineering designs and take immediate steps to repurpose three priority ports to ensure that they are fully equipped to handle the installation, commissioning, and operational requirements of OSW projects,” the energy department stressed.

In a letter to the DOE, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago primarily stipulated the “critical role that port infrastructure plays in the successful delivery of OSW energy projects,” while also acknowledging that his agency “will be responsible for the feasibility study and infrastructure development of these identified ports.”

It will also be the PPA that must demarcate the areas as well as set the lease-fees for the dedicated use of these port facilities by the offshore wind developers – including those on the quayside, lay-down yards and pre-assembly sites, among others.

Given the enormity as well as massive weight of the turbines and equipment to be installed at offshore wind farms, project sponsor-firms have been pressing early on that specialized ports shall be re-developed for these forthcoming energy sector leviathans.

With a breakthrough on their collaborative arrangement with PPA, the DOE stated that they will be “working hand in hand to accelerate the development of the country’s offshore wind (OSW) energy projects through the strategic repurposing and modernization of port infrastructure.”

Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla qualified that “the modernization of port facilities will not only accelerate OSW projects but also play a critical role in securing the country’s clean energy future and promoting economic growth.”

In the country’s quest for energy security that will eventually be leaning mainly on green technologies, the energy department is placing heftier bet on offshore wind farm installations – not only due to their higher capacity factor of more than 40%, but also because of their minimal land use as well as resilience even to extreme weather events.

For the Currimao port, in particular, the DOE cited that the magnitude of awarded service contracts that will be using it could be at least 9,489 megawatts; then the port in Camarines Norte could cater to at least 8,150MW offshore wind capacity; while the Batangas port is a hub to 29 service contracts with 24,300MW capacity.

Lotilla emphasized “these ports will serve as vital logistical hubs throughout the lifecycle of offshore wind projects --- from installation to commissioning and decommissioning.”

He thus conveyed that “upgrading these facilities ensures that the Philippines is ready to accommodate the increasing demands of OSW projects, which are expected to deliver significant contributions to the country’s energy security and economic stability.”

The energy chief further opined that “by modernizing these strategic ports, we are not only addressing the immediate needs of OSW development but also laying the foundation for long-term job creation and sustained growth in the renewable energy sector.”