4.5GWh of batteries at proposed Philippines solar-plus-storage project

An infrastructure group owned by billionaire Enrique Okay Razon has proposed development of a solar-plus-storage venture within the Philippines, which might be one of many largest on the earth.

Prime Infrastructure Holdings (Prime Infra) is owned by Razon, chairman and CEO of marine cargo-handling companies group Worldwide Container Terminal Providers Group.

The corporate mentioned final week that it’s creating a venture which might mix something between 2,500MW and three,500MW of photo voltaic PV technology with battery storage of 4,000MWh to 4,500MWh capability.

Calling it “a mannequin of reliable renewable power,” the venture can be constructed via firms managed by Prime Infra, along with Photo voltaic Philippines.

Prime Infra and Photo voltaic Philippines – based and led by younger entrepreneur Leandro Leviste – have fashioned a three way partnership (JV) referred to as Terra Photo voltaic to work on creating solar-plus-storage vegetation within the Southeast Asian nation.

In January, Terra Photo voltaic proposed to produce 850MW of mid-merit energy, which broadly talking is power provided to fulfill the hole between baseload and peaking energy capability, to Manilla Electrical Firm (Meralco).

This energy can be provided from the brand new plant. A location for the solar-plus-storage capability was not disclosed, and Terra Photo voltaic is regarded as contemplating improvement of services at a number of websites within the Central Luzon area to fulfill its 20-year PPA obligation to Meralco.   

Terra Photo voltaic famous that it beat two opponents’ proposals within the tender for the off-take contract, which was authorized by the federal government Division of Vitality. Meralco had been mandated by the division to extend its share of renewable technology by way of its Renewable Portfolio Customary (RPS).

Underneath the phrases of the PPA, the primary 600MW of fresh energy provide must be going to the utility by 2026 and the remaining 250MW by 2027. Not solely will the power provided by emissions-free, however it can even be de-coupled from vulnerabilities to fossil gas worth vulnerability.

“We, at Prime Infra Group, are delighted to maneuver ahead with Meralco on this record-breaking venture that highlights solar energy’s vital contribution to strengthening the nation’s power safety — photo voltaic, which is generally checked out for peaking, is now being made out there by Terra Photo voltaic to reply Meralco’s mid-merit requirement, thereby addressing each the necessity for extra capability and compliance with RPS,” Prime Infra CEO Guillaume Lucci mentioned.

“DOE and Meralco ought to be counseled for approving a venture that isn’t solely transformational and profound to the renewable power panorama, but additionally for managing to take action at a aggressive worth.”

The Philippines has quickly develop into some of the talked-about power storage markets in Asia, with main energy technology firms SMC World Energy and Aboitiz Energy amongst these investing in portfolios of battery storage. The nation’s first-ever co-located photo voltaic and storage plant went on-line earlier this yr.

In the meantime, the Southeast Asian subcontinent’s largest single-site battery storage venture up to now is a 45MW/136.24MWh facility at a 49MW photo voltaic farm at present beneath development in Thailand.