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Wind Power News: Philippines
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Tensions heighten as Philippine clean energy projects encroach on conservation areas
When drilling operations for 12 wind turbines – alongside road paving and other construction – were found in Luzon’s mountainous Rizal province and within a nature reserve home to more than 400 wildlife species earlier this year, Filipino conservationists were extremely alarmed. The nonprofit organisation that manages the site protested the development, stating that renewable energy generation should not be pursued at the expense of the environment. Fast forward three months later and the conflict has yet to be resolved. . . . Complete story »
Surprise discovery of wind farm project in Philippine reserve prompts alarm
Conservationists have expressed alarm over the surprise discovery that a Singapore-based company has started construction of a wind farm inside the Philippines’ Masungi Georeserve. The Masungi Karst Conservation Area (MKCA), declared a strict nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary since 1993, is home to more than 400 wildlife species. The site is located in Rizal, a province about 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of the Philippine capital, Manila. “This development entails widespread road construction and raises significant concerns for local wildlife, . . . Complete story »
Environmental group condemns drilling operations in Masungi for wind farm
The Environmental Defenders Congress (EDC) opposed the ongoing drilling operations for the construction of the Rizal-Laguna wind power project that will impact the Masungi Georeserve, a conservation area and a rustic rock garden located in Rizal. EDC Spokesperson Jean Lindo stressed the group’s opposition in a statement on Thursday. “EDC strongly condemns the ongoing drilling operations for the construction of the 102 MW Rizal-Laguna Wind Power Project, currently being undertaken by Aboitiz Renewables in a joint venture with Singapore-based Vena Energy,” . . . Complete story »
Summer heat further burdens Mindoro’s power supply and rates
ith the increase in the temperature and the power demand also comes the decrease in the supply provided by the contracted renewable energy power plants because of the drying up of rivers in the mini-hydro power plants and the weakening of the wind for the windmills in Puerto Galera. Complete story »
Residents to LGUs: Stop renewable-energy projects
CALAPAN CITY—Islanders here have asked top leaders of Oriental Mindoro to stop, at least temporarily, the ongoing but delayed construction of several renewable-energy projects suspected to have caused massive flooding and 13 deaths in this province during the onslaught of Typhoon “Nona.” Residents blame the P4-billion damage wrought by Nona on Dec. 15 on the excavations, tunneling, exploration works and drilling being undertaken for these geothermal, mini-hydro and wind farm renewable- energy projects. The Oriental Mindoro Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction . . . Complete story »
Two towers of Pagudpud Wind Farm bombed
MANILA, Philippines – The Pagudpud Wind Farm of North Luzon Renewables (NLR) was disconnected from the Luzon Grid on Thursday night, February 18, after two of its transmission towers were bombed. According to North Luzon Renewable Energy Corporation president Miguel De Jesus, it was only determined during early morning of Friday, February 19, that two of its transmission towers in Barangay Tadao in the Municipality of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, had toppled. “Initial investigations indicate that explosives were used to take down . . . Complete story »
2 transmission towers in Ilocos Norte bombed
PASUQUIN, Ilocos Norte—Two transmission towers operated by wind farm developer UPC Renewables collapsed on Thursday night, following a large explosion, Pasuquin town mayor Peter Felix Aguinaldo said on Friday. Residents in the mountainous village of Tadao, about 25 kilometers from Laoag City, reported hearing an unusual sound on Thursday evening and discovered the toppled facilities that transmit electricity produced by wind farms here. Police said they received reports that bomb fragments were scattered around the area. As of press time, . . . Complete story »
Decades-old trees cut down from Subic forest
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT: Eight dump trucks loaded with more than 100 logs from decades-old trees allegedly cut from ancestral Aeta land to give way to a solar-wind power project have been impounded by forest rangers of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), on suspicion that they lacked the necessary documents, a source told The Manila Times over the weekend. The trucks carrying the logs were brought to the SBMA-LED headquarters but were reportedly released after Olongapo City Environment and Natural . . . Complete story »
Protest greets launch of another wind project
PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—A protest action staged by a group of residents here marred the inauguration on Wednesday of the 81-megawatt Pagudpud wind farm that is operated by the North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp. (NLREC). The protesters, composed of 15 families from neighboring Bangui town, are appealing to NLREC to relocate its transmission lines that they said intruded into their land. On board a white van that displayed streamers decrying the supposed violation of their rights, the family of Joseph Baloaloa . . . Complete story »
Why windmills’ power lines draw anger in Bangui
BANGUI – Residents are asking why windmills’ power lines cutting across properties in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, were set up without the consent of landowners. The Pagudpud-to-Laoag lines are expected to transmit electricity from the 80-megawatt Pagudpud wind farm to the Luzon grid. The wind farm, developed by the North Luzon Renewable Energy Corporation (NLREC), is expected to be commissioned by the end of November. But residents said they are not opposing the generation of renewable energy. They want to understand . . . Complete story »
