Philippine Energy and Power Independence thru Wind Power

The Philippines in 2007 had installed power generation capacity of about 16,000 MW scattered around the archipelago. Of the various energy sources, renewable energy which were wind and solar accounted for 0.16% of the total capacity. Natural Gas provided a decent 17.78% contribution to the electric power demand. Most of these Natural Gas generation are located for Luzon power supply. Figure below illustrates the installed capacity from the Department of Energy website.

The electric power demand in 2007 was about 9,000 MW and is mostly is Luzon. The problem of Visayas and Mindanao is that even with small amount of demand, generation and transmission is scarce in such areas. The figure below presents the demand scenario for the entire country considering the three regions.

Wind power mapping in the Philippines presented in two studies done by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the United States which are:

• Philippines Wind Energy Resource Atlas Development
• Philippine Wind Farm Analysis and Site Selection Analysis

indicated that wind power in the Philippines can provide 76,600 MW considering good to excellent wind resource while at moderate to excellent wind resource, wind power can supply 173,600 MW. Several assumptions were applied in accounting for these values.

Considering the 2007 electric demand, say wind power potential is harnessed even up to half of its potential (38,300 MW), the country has more generation capacity in this scenario. Pickens Plan suggests that Natural Gas can be utilized for transportation which the Philippines must consider in view of the mapped wind power potential.

If this will happen, the Malampaya gas can be solely used for transportation which will bring down our oil imports and may bring down gas prices thereof. Electricity prices will become lower but transmission system operation will be revised with more wind power generation interconnected to the grid. Investments in wind power will surely come in if the Renewable Energy (RE) bill is enacted into law.

With wind power potential in the country, Philippines can attain energy and power independence.