For a country with vast coastlines and strong monsoon patterns, the Philippines’ offshore wind potential has long been immense yet underdeveloped. According to Aspiring Brothers CEO Jefferson Hou, one issue stands out: developers lack the reliable, long-term data needed to move from feasibility to construction.

“We created Aspiring Brothers to remove one of the biggest barriers holding the Philippines back — the absence of accurate, long-term, locally accessible wind measurement,” he said.

The company now delivers full-service floating LiDAR and metocean measurement systems aimed at turning offshore wind concepts into bankable projects.

Why wind — and why the philippines

The Philippines’ deep waters, typhoon belt, and consistent monsoon patterns make offshore wind a uniquely abundant resource. Hou stressed that this strength is one few countries can match.

“We are very rich in these natural resources,” he said. “If we don’t maximize them, what a waste it would be.”

Offshore wind also avoids the land constraints seen in solar and the geographic limits of geothermal, making it one of the most scalable local options.

Localizing talent and technology

Aspiring Brothers sees renewable energy not just as an environmental need, but as a gateway to building a Philippine-led technology sector. The firm is training Filipino engineers under international standards, guided by experts from markets like Germany, Japan, and the UK.

“When enough local talent learns these standards, they can teach the next generation,” Hou said.

The company also plans to begin local assembly of floating LiDAR systems within two to three years, a first for the country. This shift aims to reduce reliance on imports, lower project costs, and strengthen local capability-building.

Engineering for Philippine waters

Operating in the typhoon belt requires a durable measurement platform built for extreme conditions. Aspiring Brothers designed its floating LiDAR system around redundancy and survivability.

“Our buoy can keep operating for 70 to 80 days even if power sources are cut off,” Hou explained.

The unit features multiple power supplies, a double-ring hull for stability and collision resistance, and a double-anchor mooring system. The system has already endured recent super typhoons with no damage and consistently high data availability.

AI and next-generation offshore monitoring

As offshore wind continues to evolve, the company is developing new tools to support projects throughout their lifecycle. CTO Lifen Song said advanced analytics are already being integrated into their systems.

“We are investigating AI-based algorithms to improve data accuracy and predict system reliability,” Song noted.

Aspiring Brothers is also designing solutions for seabed surveys and long-term turbine health monitoring — technologies essential for 20- to 25-year project operations.

Permitting, policy, and the push for certainty

For developers, the biggest need isn’t just hardware — it’s stability. Hou shared that the industry’s recurring request is simple: certainty.

“Developers want trust in the data, trust in the timelines, and trust that government policies are serious,” he said.

Permitting remains one of the sector’s most time-consuming hurdles, with deployments requiring documents from more than ten agencies.

“The projects can only move as fast as the slowest permit,” Hou emphasized.

Rather than changing regulations outright, he calls for deeper coordination between the private sector, the academe, and regulators — and believes a one-stop permitting shop would greatly streamline development.

A business model designed to lower barriers

To support developers entering the offshore wind space, Aspiring Brothers offers leasing and data services rather than expecting clients to purchase equipment outright.

“Relative to our European counterparts, our product is a lot more cost-effective,” Hou said.

This approach aims to reduce upfront costs for both large and emerging players, while ensuring they receive certified, bankable measurements.

A Southeast Asian Vision Taking Shape

In the next three to five years, the company aims to establish itself as one of Southeast Asia’s most trusted offshore wind measurement providers. Hou envisions expanding deployments to Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and other emerging markets.

“We hope to grow into a regional benchmark and prove that a Filipino company can innovate at the frontier of renewable energy,” he said.

Beyond deploying hardware, Aspiring Brothers wants to evolve into a regional data-science platform that supports offshore wind development across diverse environments.

As the Philippines accelerates its shift toward clean energy, how can industry, government, and local innovators work together to strengthen the country’s offshore wind ecosystem?

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