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PacificSun seeks to build P4.9-B solar park at Paoay sand dunes
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PacificSun seeks to build P4.9-B solar park at Paoay sand dunes

PacificSun Renewables Corp. plans to build a P4.9-billion solar power facility in Ilocos Norte with a capacity of 120.96 megawatts (MW).

Based on a document filed at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the proposed project will cover three barangays in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.

The document said the project area within the Paoay sand dunes was identified by the government and not included in the province’s tourism master plan.

The site was also noted as “highly suitable for utility-scale solar development.”

PacificSun said the project’s construction will take 12 months to 18 months, including testing and commissioning prior to the power plant’s operations.

The group also hinted that, if the project were approved, they will possibly pursue expansion. The solar park might also be equipped with an energy storage system. This is a technology that has been growing in popularity among renewable producers. Such a system enables storage of excess generated power, that may be released later as needed.

Installing a storage system will ensure “long-term sustainability and grid reliability,” the firm added.

PacificSun is an affiliate of hydropower developer Sta. Clara Power Corp. and the engineering and contractor group Sta. Clara International Corp. It was established to develop and operate solar power plants.

The company said the Paoay project was in line with the government’s target to scale up renewables’ share in the electricity generation mix. The goal is to reach 35 percent by 2030 from the current 22 percent.

The Department of Energy earlier said solar power remained the most favored technology with about 3,000 committed projects for this year alone. More than 700 wind projects and a total of 68 planned geothermal facilities were also committed.

See Also

The government continues to hold green energy auction rounds to attract more investments in the renewable energy space.

The agency saw 7,530.89 MW bids under the third round, surpassing its 4,650 MW target. About 6,680 MW was awarded.

The Green Energy Auction-4, meanwhile, launched the country’s first integrated renewable energy and energy storage system. Accepted bids reached over 9,400 MW.

Two more rounds are slated this year, focusing on fixed-bottom offshore wind and biomass/waste-to-energy technologies.

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