Danish fund manager eyes 300-MW wind project in Nueva Ecija
FILE - Wind turbines operate as the sun rises at the Klettwitz Nord solar energy park near Klettwitz, Germany, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
Danish fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its subsidiary San Jose Onshore Wind Power Corp. (SJOWPC), is looking to construct a 300-megawatt (MW) onshore wind project in two municipalities of Nueva Ecija province.
A study released by global professional services company GHD showed that the ₱30.5-billion San Jose wind project is seeking an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to pursue its wind farm development that would be straddled in Lupao and Carranglan towns.
A granted ECC would certify that the proposed project would not cause any significant environmental damage while also ensuring it has complied with all the necessary government requirements. It also outlines specific measures and conditions that would be carried out before and during project operations, as well as the decommissioning phase.
The project would then take up 4,617 hectares (ha) within Talavera watershed forest reserve in order to generate the anticipated 300-MW renewable energy (RE) capacity.
Pre-construction works are anticipated to begin by the third quarter of next year, while construction is said to initiate by the second quarter of 2027.
Once the necessary requirements are obtained, San Jose wind farm is expected to begin commercial operations by the second quarter of 2029.
CIP has previously expressed interest in investing in RE in the Philippines, as it has partnered with Ayala-led ACEN Corp. to develop an offshore wind project in Camarines Sur province.
Located near the coast of San Miguel Bay, it is expected to become the country’s first offshore wind project that has the potential to generate about one-gigawatt (GW) worth of installed capacity.
The offshore wind development is currently undergoing its pre-development stage and is awaiting participation in the fifth round of the green energy auction (GEA-5) program of the Department of Energy (DOE).
Apart from wind technologies, CIP also invests in other renewable assets such as solar and bioenergy. It manages 13 funds for more than 180 investors across the world.