12 wind power projects get FIT perks

MANILA, Philippines - A dozen wind projects have applied for incentives under the feed-in-tariff (FIT) system, data from the Department of Energy (DOE) showed.

Once operational, the 12 contracts have a combined declared capacity of 669.5 megawatts, with the capacities ranging from 22 MW to 87 MW.

The projects are at different stages of development. Some are under evaluation while some have already received the go-signal to convert to development stage, according to the DOE’s list of wind projects under the FIT system.

Some of the projects in the list are the 87-MW wind project of Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) in Burgos, Ilocos Norte and the 84-MW Balaoi-Pagudpud wind power project in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, also by EDC. Trans-Asia’s Renewable Energy Corp. (Tarec), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trans-Asia Oil and Development Corp. of the Phinma Group, is also in the list for its 54-MW San Lorenzo wind project in Guimaras.

The FIT regime is a form of incentives for renewable energy players. Feed-in tariffs offer cost-based compensation to renewable energy players, among other perks.

The FIT rate approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) are as follows: P9.68 per kilowatt-hour for solar; P8.53 per kwh for wind, P6.63 per kwh for biomass and P5.90 per kwh for hydropower projects.

The DOE has already issued a circular governing the FIT regime.