News
June 28, 2015
Silay energy company upbeat
PhilCarbon Inc. is bullish on its portfolio of over 140 megawatts of renewable energy after recently completing the 25-MW Silay solar project in Negros Occidental province.
PhilCarbon, led by president Ruth Yu-Owen, executive vice president Gao Pronove and chairman Rufino Bomasang, developed the Silay solar project, along with Citicore Power.
“Never in my 40-year involvement in promoting indigenous energy development did I ever dream that in 2016, Philcabon would be a partner in a company that would be inaugurating a 25-MW solar power plant in Silay,” said Bomasang, a former energy secretary, in a statement over the weekend.
He said “the Energy Department [during the 1970s and 1980s] was only talking about solar home systems generating several watts and kilowatts. … and even after the turn of the century, the largest Philippine solar power plant was a one-megawatt plant in Cagayan De Oro.”
“The inauguration of the 25-MW solar plant is therefore a milestone event not only for Silay but for the entire Philippines in terms of enhancing national energy security. Just as importantly, it is a milestone event for the entire world in its march towards a carbon-free environment,” Bomasang said.
Owen said PhilCarbon was optimistic the 25-MW solar project would be able to avail of the feed-in tariff, saying the project was completed ahead of the March 15, 2016 deadline set by the department.
She said PhilCarbon was now focusing its efforts on other projects being developed with Citicore Power, such as the 87-MW La Carlota solar farm in Negros Occidental and the 12-MW Himamaylan biomass in Himamaylan in the same province.
“Renewable energy is the future of power generation. By investing in renewable energy, we are sowing the seeds for a cleaner and emission free future,” Owen said.
The company, along with Upgrade Energy of Belgium, is also developing the 1.814-MW Home Depot Solar rooftop in Laguna, 1-MW Solaire solar power, 50-kilowatt micro hydro and 2.5-MW Manicahan river hydro in Zamboanga City, 600-kW Magat F RIS hydro power in Isabela and 33-MW wind power in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro.
She said nine solar rooftop projects of PhilCarbon in the pipeline received guarantee from from LGU Guarantee Corp. - Manila Standard Today
February 15, 2016
#ThoughtLeaders: Philcarbon's Ruth Yu-Owen
We explore the life and decisions of Philcarbon's Ruth Yu Owen – how she thrived in a male-dominated industry, balanced that with family life, while paying it forward with a vision for a sustainable future.
Tonight on #ThoughtLeaders We explore the life and decisions of Philcarbon's Ruth Yu Owen – how she thrived in a male-dominated industry, balanced that with family life, while paying it forward with a vision for a sustainable future.
Posted by Bloomberg TV Philippines on Monday, February 15, 2016
August 30, 2015
Renewable energy growing in PH, but still needs efficiency
Government policy and commercial demand driven the rise of renewable energy, but efficiency and incentives are still needed to help it grow
MANILA, Philippines — Over the past few years, renewable energy, particularly solar energy, has grown rapidly in the Philippines. Solar farms have been created, solar panels installed, and solar ventures taken up.
What has driven this growth?
This question was posed to the Energy and Sustainability panel on the final day of the Harvard Project of Asian and International Relations’ ( HPAIR) 2015 Asia Conference, held at Makati Shangri-La.
The discussion, titled “Innovation and Energy: Seeking Renewable and Alternative Resources,” was presented to a crowd of over 50 on August 24 and focused on the growth of renewable energy in Asia, particularly in the Philippines, and challenges faced by the sector.
Ruth Yu-Owen, president and CEO of PhilCarbon, Inc. and one of the speakers present, said the growth of not only solar, but also large scale wind power, hydro, and biomass projects, is a result of the Phillipines’ Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
“It is proof that if you have the policy in place, if you have the law in place, people will come in and invest,” she said.
However, while the law and incentives of the government are helpful, they are not everything, said Nicolas Bivero, executive director of Transational Uyeno Solar Corporation. It also needs to be commercially driven. (READ: Renewable energy, affordable in long term)
Saving on cost
Bivero said commercial liability has driven solar energy in the Philippines in the last two years.
“The electricity price of the Philippines is very, very high,” he said. “It makes sense to invest in solar to reduce the cost of your electricity over time.”
Because foreign companies have been investing heavily in the Philippines, solar energy has become more viable and attractive, he said.
Bivero explained that before, he would have to explain what solar energy was to many of his clients.
“Nowadays, they actually go to us and say, ‘Listen, my neighbor has a solar system and he’s saving 20% electricity cost. How can I do it? What does it take? How fast can you install it?’” he said. (READ: PH can rely on renewable energy)
Ku’uipo Curry, a consultant at KCLD Consulting and expert in LED lighting, cited Japan as an example to further illustrate the importance of demand for the renewable energy sector to grow.
She said prior to the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, the government was “throwing subsidies at people.” However, after the tsunami and earthquake, people became conscious of energy efficiency. Renewable energy went from 5-10% saturation to almost 100%.
“You can put whatever government policy you want in place, but if the market’s not there, it won’t work,” she said.
Efficiency, incentives needed
While renewable energy has been growing in Asia, they are still “very expensive” at this stage, said Frila Yaman, president of Medco E&P Indonesia.
“We are always talking in the industry about the fifth fuel,” she said. “The first 4 are oil, gas, coal, and renewables. But there is the fifth one that not many people acknowledge. And that’s efficiency. Energy efficiency.”
Energy efficiency is when less energy is used to provide the same service, and can usually be achieved through improvements in technology.
Yaman said that energy efficiency is the “very, very cheap way of getting to conserving energy” and to meet “fuel energy demands.”
This is why Yu-Owen is working on having the Philippine Congress pass a law on energy efficiency. She said it is important to look at the demand-side management and feels giving incentives will drive more people to invest.
“You put measures in place. You penalize people for going beyond and give incentives for doing something about it,” Yu-Owen said.
How do you think we can increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the country? — Rappler.com
June 15, 2015
European RE and EE technology reaches local shores
True to its mission to provide alternative energy solutions for a sustainable and energy efficient Philippines, PhilCarbon has brought world-class European technology into the country.
A joint venture agreement was recently signed between PhilCarbon and Upgrade Energy, a Belgian engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) provider to develop renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Philcarbon is currently expanding its portfolio of renewable energy projects with other local and international partners - Megawide, Ecomarket Solutions and Mogano, among others.
Upgrade Energy is an offshoot of the VITO (Vlaamse Installing voor Technologisch Onderzoek), the Flemish Institute for Technological Research. The company was established in 2008, and now has a presence in Belgium, Turkey, Poland, Croatia, China and Hong Kong building on the growing global awareness and demand for clean energy.
Upgrade Energy engages in project development and turn-key installation of technologies such as solar; wind; geothermal; biomass/biogas energy (combustion, digestion, & gasification); combined cooling, heating & power (CCHP); waste heat recovery; absorption cooling; off-grid and hybrid systems. With a pool of experts around the globe, the company is headquartered in Belgium, with satellite offices in it’s operating countries.
Equipped with European technology and local project development expertise, Upgrade Energy and PhilCarbon is ready to take a step ahead in the energy sector.
June 2, 2015
Strengthening partnerships for biomass resource sustainability (Mogano)
To ensure the sustainability of biomass resource generation for its renewable energy projects, PhilCarbon has entered into a partnership with emerging agro-industrial firm Mogano.
Mogano is in the business of developing and operating agricultural lands to cultivate biomass crops such as Napier grass, sweet sorghum, wood coppicing species, etc. These crops, coupled with agricultural residues such as rice husks and bagasse, serve as biomass to fuel boilers of manufacturing plants.
“Mogano is a feedstock producer. Our business is to plant (feedstock) efficiently to supply power plants”, explained Nico Bolzico, CEO of Mogano. With his expertise on agriculture technology, Mr. Bolzico is actively working towards achieving the company’s goal of being the premier biomass supplier in the country.
Mogano has experts in the fields of agribusiness, plantation management, renewable energy development and biomass. It initially focused on supplying biomass as feedstock to the boilers of the Negros sugar mills, enabling them to decrease their carbon footprint, as well as cost of production.
One of PhilCarbon’s first projects with Mogano will be the 15 MW Biomass project in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental. The Project, in Barangay Su-a,y is now at its pre-development stage. Construction is planned to start later in 2015. The project was awarded a Biomass Renewable Energy Operating Contract (BREOC) by the Department of Energy in April 29, 2015.
April 29, 2015
Silay Contract Signing
Service Contract Signing: (Standing from left) President & COO Edgar Saavedra, , Manolo Candelaria, CFO Oliver Tan, DOE Asec Raymund Acol, Annabelle Mosser, President & CEO Ruth Yu-Owen and Atty. Gao Pronove
Silay 33MW Solar Power and Himamaylan 12MW Biomass Power Project of MEGAWATT CLEAN ENERGY INC., a partnership of Philcarbon and a giant construction company Megawide. Service contract Signing with DOE Asec Raymund Acol on April 29, 2015 at the Department of Energy attended by (from left) Megawatt President & COO Edgar Saavedra, CFO Oliver Tan, Manolo Candelaria, DOE Asec Raymund Acol, Mogano Chairman Annabelle Mosser, Philcarbon President & CEO also Megawatt Vice President for Business Development Ruth Yu-Owen and Philcarbon’s Executive Director Atty. Gao Pronove.
June 30, 2014
Megawide goes into power generation
The listed company, partly owned by tycoon Henry Sy, signs an agreement with PhilCarbon to develop a portfolio of renewable energy projects.
MANILA, Philippines – Megawide Construction Corporation on Monday, June 30, said it would spend $100 million to build a portfolio of 100 megawatts of renewable energy over the next two years.
In line with this, the company signed an agreement with PhilCarbon Inc. for the development of renewable energy projects, including biomass, wind, hyrdo, solar, and geothermal.
Megawide chief finance officer Oliver Tan said the company’s venture into power generation would help address the looming power shortage in the country.
Tan said the company would break ground by the end of the year a 3.5-megawatt (MW) biomass project in Northern Luzon.
Megawide is primarily engaged in general construction, which involves constructing, enlarging, repairing, or engaging in any work upon buildings, houses and condominium, roads, plants, bridges, piers, waterworks, railroads and other structures. Its projects include Citysquare Residences, Antel Spa Residences, SM Sea Residences, Belle Grande Casino, University Tower II and Berkeley.
PhilCarbon is a renewable energy company focused on the development of clean power sources.
PhilCarbon plans to construct a 33.4-MW wind power project in Oriental Mindoro worth P3.4 billion ($77.94 million). The said facility is estimated to generate 73.15 gigawatt-hour of power annually.
The company also plans to rehabilitate the 50-kilowatt Pasonanca hydro power plant in Zamboanga City under a memorandum of agreement it signed with the city's water district.
Strong earnings projection
Meanwhile, Megawide expects its net income and revenues to double over the next 3 years to P2.8 billion and P22 billion, respectively, with the addition of airport and hospital projects into its portfolio.
In 2013, Megawide posted a net income of P1.4 billion and revenues of P10.88 billion.
Over the next 3 years, Tan said 50% of the company’s total revenues would come from stable recurring income from projects, including the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the Orthopedic Hospital. The remaining 50% will come from traditional construction business, residential, office, hotel and commercial projects.
“We will still retain current market share in the construction business, because we all know the cyclical nature of industry we are operating in. So we are pursing assets that will provide us with stable recurring income,” Tan said.
Megawide, in partnership with GMR Infrastructure, is expected to take over the Mactan airport by the last quarter of 2014. – Rappler.com
(Photo of solar panels and wind turbines from Shutterstock.)
October 1, 2013
New wind power project to rise in Mindoro
CALAPAN CITY , Philippines – After the national government recently issued an official service contract to a private company to speed up construction of wind power facilities in Oriental Mindoro, another renewable energy resource developer is set to construct a 33.4-megawatt wind power project here, making this island province producer of electricity using wind as its main source.
PhilCarbon Inc. president Ruth Y. Owen said her company’s wind farm – which will be built in the municipality of Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro – is currently in the pre-development stage and the facilities for it, including its power plant, would start construction in 2016.
“We are currently in the permitting process. We have already secured the ECC (environmental compliance certificate) for the project,” she said on the sidelines of the Powertrends 2013 International Exhibition and Conference which was recently held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
“We plan to construct the project in three years or in 2016 and that will take a year and a half before being operational,” Owen added.
According to her, the said wind power project – which would cost a staggering P3.4 billion – would be funded through debt and equity, and noted that the wind farm is estimated to generate 73.146 gigawatt-hour of power annually.
PhilCarbon received its wind energy service contract from the Department of Energy in 2011. In December last year, the company secured approval from the Board of Investments (BOI) to avail of incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
"The BOI has approved our application for registration as a renewable energy developer of wind power to avail incentives such as duty-free importation of capital equipment as we prepare for construction of our wind power project," Owen said.
Besides the wind project in Oriental Mindoro, the company also has plans to rehabilitate the 50-kilowatt Pasonanca hydro power plant in Zamboanga City, under a memorandum of agreement it signed with the water district of the city.
September 26, 2013
Bulalacao Ready by 2018
Local renewable energy developer Philcarbon Inc. will be ready with its 33.4-megawatt (MW) wind project in Oriental Mindoro by 2018, a top company official said yesterday.
Philcarbon President Ruth Yu-Owen said that its P3.43-billion Bulalacao wind power project is now being eyed to start construction by 2016.
She said that it would take about a year and a half to complete the project, therefore starting commercial operations by mid-2018.
Once completed, the wind facility is estimated to generate 73.146 gigawatt hours of wind energy.
The Bulalacao wind facility will be situated in a site in the southern tip of Oriental Mindoro which Philcarbon cited as having strong and constant wind averaging at a speed of 8.2 meters per second.
The power to be generated by the wind facility will be offered to interested electric cooperatives in the area.