VATIS UPDATE Article

The Philippines National Oil Company (PNOC) unit responsible for promoting, developing and implementing new and renewable energy sources in the country – PNOC Renewables Corporation – has partnered with H&WB Asia Pacific (Pte Ltd) Corporation, Philippines, to develop the country’s first tidal-energy project. According to H&WB, the project will utilize Tidal In-stream Energy Conversion (TISEC) technology.

It will be located in H&WB’s three concession areas in San Bernardino Strait between Matnog, Sorsogon and Capul and Dalupiri both Northern Samar. French company Sabella SAS will be providing the technology. “The cohesive partnership aims to establish a special purpose company (SPC) in the first half of 2017 to commence project finance and engineering works, thereby, launching the first-ever TISEC power not only in the Philippines but in ASEAN as well,” said H&WB.

“Sabella and H&WB have recently completed a detailed in situ bathymetry measurement, to move toward a full 3D current numerical model in order to locate the first demonstration project, which will consist of three to five turbines. PNOC RC’s role is vital, and the MOU with H&WB and SABELLA is a pro-active strategy that can support the project’s success, more so, when PNOC RC decides to invest into the SPC,” said H&WB.