French firm inks deal with PH partner on tidal power project

French firm Sabella SAS has cemented a deal with Filipino partner H&WB Asia Pacific (Pte. Ltd.) Corporation on their joint venture for the development of a 5.0megawatt tidal power project.

The partner-firms are envisioning to develop the first ocean tidal energy conversion (OTEC) project in the ASEAN region via their chosen site in the Philippines.

Based on the concession contract held by Filipino firm H&WB, the targeted project area straddles the San Bernardino Strait in Sorsogon and Capul-Dalupiri in Leyte. The memorandum of agreement for this project was sealed last week by Sabella chairman and president JeanFrancois Daviau; and H&WB president and chief executive officer Antonio A. Ver.

Their planned venture though is not actually the first to be proposed for an OTEC project in the Philippines.

In fact, when the feed-in-tariff (FIT) for ocean tidal energy was being deliberated at the level of the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB), it was the proposal of a British-led firm that was used as reference. In the end though, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) had deferred decision on the FIT for OTEC as it was not held viable yet at that time.

Meanwhile, for the Sabella-H&WB project, it was emphasized that they will commence with the proposed 5.0MW as “a demonstration plant” that will then supply generated electricity to the two Sorsogon electric cooperatives.