NexGen Energy accelerates solar push With 24-megawatt expansion
NexGen Energy Corp. is accelerating the expansion of its renewable energy portfolio, with plans to energize 24 megawatts of additional solar capacity by the end of the year.
Describing the move as an “aggressive” push into rural electrification, Angela Sanchez, NexGen vice president of operations, said the company is set to bring two new solar projects online in Luzon and Mindanao.
The upcoming capacity represents a fraction of the company’s broader ambitions in the energy sector as Sanchez noted that NexGen currently manages a portfolio of 162 megawatts of solar projects in various stages of development.
The pipeline includes a mix of traditional ground-mounted installations and emerging floating solar technologies.
A key pillar of this expansion is the company’s venture into floating solar. In October, the Department of Energy (DOE) authorized NexGen’s 5hour Peak Energy Corp. to begin pre-development work on a floating solar power plant in Caliraya, Laguna.
The project is located near the existing Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan hydropower complex. If these initial activities prove successful, the department is expected to issue a formal solar energy operating contract to the firm.
Sanchez also indicated that NexGen is closely monitoring government policy for further growth opportunities.
She confirmed the company is open to participating in the specialized Green Energy Auction round for floating solar technologies, which the Department of Energy announced earlier this month.
Beyond solar, NexGen is making inroads into wind energy through its subsidiary, Airstream Renewables Corp.
The unit recently secured three wind service contracts with a combined potential capacity of 1.7 gigawatts. While these projects are in the early data-gathering phase, the company aims to move faster than the standard five-year development timeline provided by the government.
Sanchez said the company expects to complete more meteorological and metocean studies, known as METMAS, within the year to collect critical data on wind and weather conditions. NexGen has also advanced its bathymetric studies to map the seafloor and measure water depths, which are essential for assessing the viability of offshore wind developments.
At present, NexGen’s operational footprint includes eight hydropower plants and three solar projects.
The company also maintains nine renewable energy technologies under the government’s feed-in-tariff program.