DOE seeks investors for ocean energy projects

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Energy (DOE) is looking for investors to develop a 100-megawatt (MW) ocean thermal energy resource potential in San Jose, Antique.

DOE data showed that based on recent studies this 100-MW project would need an investment of $250 million.

In a periodic called Renewable Energy Outlook, the DOE said it expects the emergence of ocean energy projects in 2015 following the approval of the RE Bill this year.

According to DOE data, ocean energy resource potential of the Philippines could reach 170,000 MW, the biggest so far in the list of RE resources that could be harnessed in the country.

Based on the data, wind resources potential is estimated at 76,600 MW; hydropower, 10,500 MW; geothermal, 790 MW; biomass (bagasse), 235.7 MW.

Early this year, an American ocean power development company had approached the DOE for a possible project in the Philippines.

The DOE source said Deep Ocean Power Philippines, a unit of California-based Deep Ocean Power, is conducting studies on at least 36 sites for possible ocean power sources.

These sites are located in Laoag, Zambales, Mindoro, Isabela, Panay, Negros and parts of Mindanao.

“They applied for 36 sites covering 21,450 hectares however the areas subject to verification under the prescribed blocking system of the DOE,” the source said.

At present, Deep Ocean is engaged in the business of using ocean thermal energy conversion which makes use of the temperature differential between the warm surface waters of the oceans, heated by solar radiation, and the deeper cold waters to generate electricity.

Based on the proposed business plan, Deep Ocean will construct a land-based power plant but its pumping station will be located in the deep ocean.

Ocean power is one of the energy sources being promoted by the DOE as part of renewable energy development.

Aside from Antique, the DOE has conducted several studies in the past which identified at least 16 more potential ocean power sites.

These areas are: Camarines, Northeastern Samar, Surigao, Batan Island, Catanduanes, Tacloban, San Bernardino Strait, Babuyan Island, Ilocos Norte, Siargao Island and Davao Oriental.

There is an existing study on tidal current systems in the Hinatuan Passage in Surigao and San Bernardino Strait between Leyte and Samar for possible power development.

The huge potential of ocean energy resource exceeds the 4,350 MW additional power requirement of the country in the next six years.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization launched several years ago a project aimed at promoting and disseminating in the Asian region the use and application of marine current technology. The UNIDO project involved the Philippines, China and Indonesia.

A few years back, a feasibility study was supposed to be conducted jointly by the ASEAN Center for Energy and the governments of these three countries.

Ponte di Archimede, an Italian company, provided the technology called Kobold Turbine, made for the purpose of exploiting marine currents and can produce more than 70 kilowatts of power.

The proponents of the study were optimistic that they could put up 10 units that could provide electricity to far flung areas in these three countries.