Norway and Philippines activated 1st floating solar project  

Ricardo Visaya from National Irrigation Administration, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, SN Aboitiz Power CEO Joseph Yu, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, SN Power CEO Erik Knive, CEO of Aboitiz Power Corp Erramon Aboitiz and Norwegian Ambassador to Philippines Bjørn Jahnsen (Photo: SNAP)

SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP), the joint venture between SN Power (Norwegian hydropower developer and investor) and Aboitiz Power Corp. (Filipino power investor) switched on its first 200-kilowatt (kw) floating solar project to provide power to SNAP-Magat’s facilities over Magat Dam, one of the largest dams in the Philippines.

At the switch-on ceremony taking place on June 28, 2019, there were Ricardo Visaya from National Irrigation Administration, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, SN Aboitiz Power CEO Joseph Yu, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, SN Power CEO Erik Knive, CEO of Aboitiz Power Corp Erramon Aboitiz and Norwegian Ambassador to Philippines Bjørn Jahnsen who together pressed the button to activate the project.

SNAP invested over $400,000 or nearly P24 million through SNAP-Magat Inc. for the facility with 2,500-square meter area over the Magat reservoir.

“The 200-kw plant supplies most of our internal household already, like the control room, all the air-conditioning, lights that Magat needs to run,” SNAP president and CEO Joseph Yu said.

(Photo: SNAP)

SNAP also joined hands with Ocean Sun, a Norwegian floating solar technology provider, to install solar panels for the pilot project on top of the water’s surface.

This installation will produce 200kW for 10 months, to test and ensure that the feasibility will survive Filipino climatic conditions like massive inflows and strong typhoons.

Once successful, SNAP plans to expand its 200-kilowatt pilot solar-power project to 20 megawatts or possibly 50 MW in the near future.

“There’s going to be more to come. Together with our partner, we’ll bring in innovative power solutions. We are very committed to renewable energy. With the launch of this floating solar project…hopefully we will be able to scale this up a little bit more,” AboitizPower president Erramon Aboitiz said.

“The plan is, over the next six months, we will go through the wet season, the rains and the storms and we’ll see how it reacts to the waves and the rain. We’d like to see strong winds to see what it can withstand,” said Joseph Yu.

The article wrote by Ambassador Bjørn Jahnsen on his linkedin highlighted the significant role of Norway in the renewable energy sector in the Philippines and that this project will mark “Norway’s biggest investment in the Philippines.”

About Nilobon Bantoey

Journalist • ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok Thailand

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