TWO Renewable Energy (RE) power projects with a combined installed capacity of 35 megawatts (MW) will contribute to the Mindanao’s power grid within the first half (1H) of next year.
Noriel Christopher Reyes, science research specialist of the Department of Energy (DOE) Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, said these power projects are the 10 MW Lamsan Power Corp. (LPC)-rice husk-powered biomass power plant in Maguindanao and the 25 MW Agusan Power Corp. and Tranzen Group Inc. Lake Mainit Hydroelectric power plant in Agusan del Norte.
Commercial operation of the 10MW LPC plant is targeted in February 2016 while the 25 MW Lake Mainit HPP is scheduled the following month.
“With all these power projects, both RE and fossil-based in Mindanao, we are in a better position now as compared to the previous years when it comes to the island's power situation,” he said.
He added a combined capacity of 685 MW will also be added by the four coal-fired power plants by first half of next year. The total combined RE and fossil-based power capacity that will enter the island early next year is at 720 MW.
At present, there are more than 290 pending RE projects, 72 of which are from Davao Region based on the Department of Energy data. The Mindanao’s pending projects have a combined capacity of 3,256.83 MW.
These RE pending projects were now being monitored and facilitated by the One-Stop Facilitation and Monitoring Center (OSFMC), a program initiated by the Mindanao Development Authority’s (Minda) – Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC).
As of August 15, 2015, Mindanao committed power projects are now 1,920.30 MW while indicative power projects reached a total of 1,925.61 MW.
In a recent interview, Bryan Diosma, MPMC technical head said that Mindanao is capable of matching the growth of fossil-based power plants with RE.
“The only thing that needs to be done is to make sure that these RE power plants do come online. With the OSFMC, we provide the proponents with a push, guidance or facilitation to make sure that these power projects would be realized," Diosma said.
As of 2015 the Mindanao power mix is 49 percent hydro, 31 percent coal oil-based, 14 percent coal and 6 percent geothermal or 55 percent Renewable energy (RE) and 45 percent fossil. But the power sector projected that the whole power landscape will change as in 2017, energy mix will be 70 percent fossil-based and only 30 percent RE.
Based on Minda’s data, Mindanao is requiring at least 1,000 MW of new capacity by 2020, and 1,600MW by 2030. At present power demand on the island is 1,400MW with current power supply of 1,200MW.