The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) awarded Danish firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) with the first pre-development environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for any offshore wind project in the Philippines.
The ECC, a requirement for all renewable energy projects, including offshore wind, to ensure adherence to environmental rules and regulations and alignment to global industry standards, will enable CIP to initiate offshore geotechnical works and geophysical surveys for its 1-gigawatt San Miguel Bay Offshore Wind Project in Camarines Sur province.
CIP said in a statement Friday these activities are crucial in determining the design and layout of the proposed offshore wind farm.
The award follows the successful deployment of state-of-the-art scanning and vertical Light Detection and Ranging devices (LIDARs) in its project sites in May.
“We are very pleased to announce the issuance of the ECC for our pre-development activities. With this in place, we have initiated offshore site surveying, a critical step in advancing the project’s development,” said Rune Damgaard, offshore wind co-chief executive of Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP), CIP’s investment vehicle in the Philippines.
CIP was the first developer to submit a comprehensive pre-development ECC, and eventually also the first to obtain the certificate.
CIP also lauded the continuous partnership between the DENR and the Department of Energy (DOE) in ramping up the exploration and development of offshore wind projects.
Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in February to simplify the issuance of ECCs for offshore wind energy projects.
Another memorandum was signed between the two agencies to provide energy developers access to offshore areas that are available for wind power exploration.
CIP welcomed this move as a catalyst in derisking foreign investment on offshore wind projects.
“This pre-development environmental clearance issued by the DENR moves CIP’s offshore wind development efforts forward while ensuring strict compliance with environmental regulations,” said Lotilla.
“DOE’s service contractor, CIP, can now proceed with exploration and pre-development activities that are essential in jump-starting the growth of offshore wind in the country and contribute to achieving the Philippines’ long-term energy security objectives,” he said.
Danish Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin said that he is “happy and proud” that CIP was awarded the first offshore wind pre-development ECC in the Philippines.
“Wind power is one of the ways the government can bring abundant, affordable, and reliable way to every Filipino and ensure continued growth and prosperity for the nation,” said Mellbin.
“Working closely together, CIP, the government and international partners will continue to help streamline the necessary approvals and certificates that will allow this and other critical wind power projects to go on-line, in-time,” he said.
Be the first to comment