First wind-diesel farm opens in Batanes

BASCO, Batanes — An air of optimism pervades in this northernmost province as Energy Secretary Vincent Perez inaugurated the country’s first and only renewable power system here last Saturday.

The P55-million project, a brainchild of former Rep. Florencio "Butch" Abad, is also the country’s first and only commercially operated hybrid wind-diesel farm.

The project was first presented on March 2, 1999 to then Energy Secretary Mario Tiaoqui and the late former Speaker Ramon Mitra Jr., then the president of the Philippine National Oil Corp. It took five years of study and several launching ceremonies before actual construction started in September last year.

"Batanes now leads the country in harnessing renewable power for mankind’s benefit. This is turning our problem of frequent strong winds to our opportunity," Abad said.

For his part, Perez said, "Today is a big day for us Filipinos, as this occasion signals our independence from imported fuel."

"Batanes, which used to be known as a poor, small and isolated province, has shown leadership in renewable power generation," he said, expressing hope that other islands would replicate the Batanes project.

The hybrid wind-diesel farm consists of three French-made wind turbines (wind mills) on top of Mt. Sumhao in Mahatao town, five kilometers southeast of this capital town.

Two British-made diesel generators, which will serve as standby generators, are installed at the National Power Corp.’s power plant here.

When fully operational, the entire farm will have 2,700 kilowatts of installed capacity, Perez said. "Each wind mill needs a five-mile-per-second cut-speed to generate electric power," he said.

Gov. Vicente Gato said the wind mills, which can withstand winds of up to 245 kilometers per hour, will be switched on from the late afternoon to early morning.

"This is the time when we will have favorable winds to turn the turbines," Gato said. "During that period, the whole of Batan Island will be dependent on wind power."

From mid-morning to mid-afternoon, when the winds are slow, Gato said the two generators will provide electricity.

Perez said the energy department gave P5 million to the project, and the Napocor, P8 million. The provincial government, on the other hand, provided P42 million.

The First Philippine Energy Corp. Inc., a subsidiary of the Lopez Group of Companies, constructed the hybrid wind-diesel farm.