Photo courtesy of Pxhere.com
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A 300-kilowatt solar farm project deal between local and foreign private companies is about to be signed this year.
Ferdinand Mison, a consultant for the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi, said the Invenic, Inc., and the Norway-based Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) are nearing the signing of a P60-million contract.
He said the solar farm will be put up within the area of the proposed international port in Malassa in Bongao town, Tawi-Tawi province.
“The local government of Tawi-Tawi will provide the area for the project. Itatayo muna yung power para sa construction of the future international port area, kasi kung walang power mahihirapan din,” he told Davao Today in phone interview Tuesday, October 3.
(The solar farm will be put up first to help in the construction of the future international port area, because it will be difficult without power.)
Mison said the memorandum of understanding that is about to be signed “within the year” will be specific for the first of the four phases of a total project, which aims to build a 300-kilowatt solar power farm for each phase.
The first project is targeted to be placed in remote areas not reached by the local electric cooperative. “We will put this up in areas which do not even have electric posts,” he said.
He said if the project pushes through, it will help reduce the intermittent power outages in the province and boost its economy.
“Sadly, there are no major industries in Tawi-Tawi because of the lack of power,” he said.
During the Energy Investment Forum and Stakeholders Conference held here on Tuesday, Mison said they are trying to get private individuals to make Tawi-Tawi a part of their “visionary program” for renewable energy sources.
“Tawi-Tawi is the last frontier. The move for it to grow is there,” he said, noting that the security problem within the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao has created stigma around the province. (davaotoday.com)
