The Government of the Philippines has secured assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to upgrade infrastructure at nine ports across the country in preparation for future offshore wind projects. The ports are Luzon and Visayas, the Currimao Port in Ilocos Norte, Port Irene in Cagayan Valley, the Energy Supply Base Port of the Philippine National Oil Company in Batangas, and some other ports in Batangas, Mindoro, Bacolod and Iloilo.
The ports, which are jointly owned by private companies and local governments, will undergo screening to assess the requirements of offshore wind developers. Further, the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) plans to partner with a port developer to repurpose its 19.2-hectare property in Mabini, Batangas into an integrated port for offshore wind. The number of service contracts for offshore wind projects has been increased while the 60-40 ownership requirement for foreign companies has been lifted in favour of 100 per cent ownership.
Although the Department of Energy (DOE) has identified the development of offshore wind energy as one of its top priorities to boost the share of renewable energy in the Philippines’ total generation, there are currently no ready ports to support the growth. The availability of suitably sized and strategically located ports is essential for the storage, assembly, construction and operation of offshore wind farms.