ACEN may attain 5 GW RE capacity ahead of schedule

MANILA, Philippines — ACEN Corp., the listed energy platform of the Ayala group, is optimistic about attaining its five gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity target earlier than 2025 amid the company’s aggressive expansion.

“We went from zero to 1,000 megawatts (MW) in five years. In 2018, at that time we were about 700 MW in renewables, we said we want to grow to five GW of renewables by 2025,” ACEN chief human resources officer, chief administrative officer and chief risk officer John Philip Orbeta said.

“And if you look at the number, we’re already at 4.2 GW and it’s only 2023 and we’re going to be inaugurating several plants this year. So we believe that we will actually hit our five GW target at least a year, if not sooner, by the end of this year,” he said.

Orbeta said while ACEN would continue to develop traditional renewable energy technologies, such as ground-mounted solar and onshore wind, the company is also looking at emerging technologies to expand its clean energy portfolio, such as offshore wind and floating solar.

“We already have concession areas in Laguna de Bay to put in floating solar. We also have the concession area for offshore wind,” the ACEN official said.

“We’re looking at other storage technologies aside from battery. We’re looking at pump hydro, we’re looking at others. And of course, we’re keeping an eye on clean hydrogen,” he said.

With its five GW target by 2025 within reach, Orbeta said ACEN is committed to achieving its bigger 20 gigawatts of renewables capacity target by 2030.

ACEN has completed in the first quarter the first phase of its 160-MW Pagudpud wind farm in Ilocos Norte consisting of 80 MW.

“We’re going to be targeting to get this from 80 MW to 135 MW. We’re hoping by the end of the year, beginning of next year will be the approximate timing for the second phase,” ACEN president and CEO Eric Francia said.

The full 160 MW is eyed to be finished no later than December 2025 for delivery under the Green Energy Auction Program of the Department of Energy.

ACEN’s fourth wind project in Ilocos Norte, the 70-MW Capa Wind in Pagudpud, meanwhile, is also under construction.

“We’re also targeting within the next 12 months to get most of the turbines operational. It’s also going to be phased. The first few phases should be completed within the next 12 months and then with the ultimate target of before 2025 to complete everything,” Francia said.

ACEN has the largest wind portfolio in the country at 416 MW, 266 MW of which are in operation and 150 MW under construction.

Almost 90 percent of the company’s wind projects are in Ilocos Norte.

Francia said offshore wind is the next big opportunity in Ilocos.

“Of course I think there’s still quite a bit of onshore wind opportunities, but I think the bigger opportunity is offshore. The one constraint that needs to be addressed is the transmission,” Francia said.

“The much talked about northern loop is going to be critical to really unlock the potential of the remaining onshore and of course offshore wind in Ilocos. Hopefully, that will be in the transmission development plans to really make the northern loop happen and to build it in such a way that it would harness all of the potential in Ilocos Norte,” he said.