The Philippines is seen to add over $1.1 billion in gross value to the economy should 1,650 megawatts (MW) worth of wind projects be activated “under a more ambitious approach” until 2026, based on a study by a group that acts as the international trade association for the wind power industry.
In its report, Brussels, Belgium-based Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) said that the Philippines is “well-positioned to be a regional leader in wind energy.”
GWEC emphasized that if realized, the wind energy projects would entail a 70% increase in jobs in development, construction, and installation to 80,000 jobs compared to 47,000 under a “business as usual” scenario.
The pipeline wind projects can also generate 3,600-gigawatt hours of energy per year from 2026 – enough to power over three million homes and one million electric vehicles annually.
Over 65 million metric tons of carbon emissions could be saved with the approach, GWEC added. This is equivalent to 14 million cars off the road, 21 million return flights from Manila to Glasgow, Scotland – the venue of last year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), and planting and maintaining two million trees for ten years.
“With the increase in coal price volatility and ongoing supply chain disruption, it is time for coal import-dependent countries like the Philippines to develop a self-sufficient power system which relies on clean energy,” GWEC Asia head Liming Qiao said in a statement.
“As elections approach in the Philippines, GWEC and the wind industry look forward to supporting the current and next administration in creating meaningful climate policies and renewable energy targets, and kickstarting a post-pandemic green recovery.” she added.
Aside from the Philippines, GWEC also looked at four other developing countries, namely: Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa,
From a global perspective, GWEC said that around 20-gigawatts of wind projects can energize 25 million homes annually beginning 2026.
Data from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines shows that wind projects only accounted for 2.4% of the country’s energy mix. Coal remains the dominant energy source at 54.3%.
Recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) endorsed two wind projects to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines for system impact study (SIS). Last year, the DOE endorsed at least 13 wind ventures for SIS.