The Ilocos Norte provincial board is looking into using renewable energy to solely power the province as support for its wind, solar, and hydro power investors.
Board Member Mariano Marcos II, committee chair on the environment, initiated the proposal and said the province seeks to eliminate emissions that contribute to global warming.
The province has opened up vast lands for green energy projects, the board member added. “To be consistent [about our environmental aspirations], we need to become clean all the way,” he said.
The province is aiming to be the first “clean, green and coal-free province.”
Currently, the northern province hosts wind power farms in Bangui, Burgos and Pagudpud, which produce 283 megawatts (MW).
“There has been no proven system or technology yet that is not harmful to the environment,” Marcos said.
Ilocos Norte is known for the wind farm located along the coastlines of Bangui Bay facing the West Philippine Sea. The wind farm was established by the Northwind Power Development Corporation in 2005.
Data from the North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp. (NLREC) shows that the 81-MW wind farm gas spared the environment 101.25 tons worth of carbon dioxide since commercial operations began in November 2014.
This output has replaced 42.05 million liters of worth $13. 2 million, NLREC sub-station manager Elec Costales said.