Offshore wind power development gets solon’s support
A LAWMAKER on Sunday expressed support to the proposal of Norway Chargé d’Affaires Bjorn Jahnsen to establish and develop an offshore wind energy sector in the Philippines.
“Offshore wind farms in the West Philippine Sea would be consistent with long-term plans to develop the area as the country’s energy hub,” Makati City Representative Luis N. Campos, Jr. said in a statement at the weekend.
“The advantage of offshore wind farms is that we can build them faster because they do not have land use and right-of-way issues,” he said.
Mr. Jahnsen, in a meeting with President-elect Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last week, suggested the creation of the sector to attract more foreign investors and generate as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs.
He mainly discussed climate change and renewable energy with the incoming Philippine president, particularly focusing on offshore wind, floating solar and hydropower.
“That’s the plan for the future for Norway and the Philippines — really to increase our imprint on renewable energy in the country,” he told a news briefing.
Mr. Campos expressed confidence that Norway would follow through on its offer of support.
“Norway has the new technologies needed to put up offshore bottom-fixed or floating wind turbines. The Philippines would benefit from the eventual transfer of these technologies,” he said.
Mr. Campos also said he had “no problem” allowing foreign companies to have a majority stake in entities that will develop offshore wind energy resources.
“We have to transition faster to renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydro if we want to insulate the country from future global oil price shocks,” the lawmaker said.
He cited that the Philippines currently generates only 443 megawatts (MW) of electricity from onshore wind farms. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan
