Officials from the Department of Energy met with the United Kingdom (UK) Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) of the British Embassy in Manila for an offshore wind (OSW) focused strategic learning visit in the UK recently.

The visit which was touted as part of exploratory talks by the DOE, was done on from February 13-17, 2023, allowed the delegation to meet relevant UK regulators and industry stakeholders for knowledge sharing of best practices, regulatory framework, and industry development, and opened-up potential opportunities for UK-Philippines collaboration in offshore wind.

Technical discussions on significant stages in an offshore wind project lifecycle were covered, including Consenting, Contract for Difference (CfD), Marine Spatial Planning & Leasing, Permitting & Licensing, Grid Development, Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO), Financing & Bankability and Industry & Supply Chain Development.

The UK companies also gathered for a roundtable discussion on the lessons learned and experience in support of the Philippine Government’s goal to successfully develop a competitive OSW industry from concept to implementation.

Through the DBT, the Philippine delegation visited the UK Northern Powerhouse’ Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence (FOW CoE) in Blyth, Newcastle and AIS Survivex, and ORE Catapult’s O&M Center of Excellence in Port of Grimsby.

The ORE Catapult FOW CoE was established to drive innovation and accelerate the build-out of floating offshore wind farms, create opportunities for the UK supply chain, and spur growth in manufacturing, installation and O&M. AIS Survivex, the UK’s largest renewable energy training center on the other hand, was established to expand the capabilities in the sector.

Through the successful transformation of the port town of Grimsby into an energy center, the delegation learned about the positive economic impact that the offshore wind industry could generate.

The site visits also amplified the industry’s critical role and importance in developing the OSW supply chain and the government’s regulatory and policy objectives in building successful OSW farms.

While recognizing the importance of collaboration among sector regulators and industry practitioners, Head of the Delegation, DOE Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara, emphasized that an offshore wind inter-agency committee in the Philippines is needed to facilitate OSW development in the country.

As a pioneer in the industry, the UK has a depth of expertise and capabilities in OSW, a key agenda under its energy transition and security strategy.

In his address to the Philippine delegation, Ashley Ibbett, Director General for Energy Infrastructure in the newly formed UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, underscored that renewable energy sources such as wind have a critical role in the fight against climate change.

He noted that the UK government will share experiences and maximize the speed of the transition. Through the UK-led Energy Transition Council, the UK is providing technical assistance to the DOE on marine spatial planning, licensing, and permitting, which will be delivered by the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership.

Through this strategic learning visit, the UK government and the industry reaffirm their strong commitment in supporting the efforts of the Philippines and its other partner countries in their OSW journey towards the acceleration of its clean energy ambition.

Under the National Renewable Energy Program 2020-2040, the Philippines set a target of 35% share of renewable energy (RE) in the generation mix by 2030 and 50% by 2040.

To date, the DOE has awarded 55 offshore wind service contracts with an aggregate capacity of 40.68 GW, or almost twice the dependable generation capacity in the country and is currently in the process of amending the policies and guidelines for the OSW development.

The Philippine delegation is consisted of DOE, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Board of Investments (BOI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

“The various agencies agreed on action items to enable the country to reach its full potential in offshore wind energy,” DOE Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said.

CURRENTPH NEWS SERVICE