SunAsia to put up 200 MW battery storage facility in Phl

Local solar firm SunAsia Energy Inc. is looking to put up nearly 200 megawatts (MW) of battery storage this year, targeting island provinces to displace diesel plants and serve their peak requirements, its top official said.

The company is targeting to install 198 MW of battery energy storage (BES) this year, which will be done through its subsidiary MegaWatt Solutions Pvt. Ltd., SunAsia president Teresa Capellan said.

“Our target for this year is 198 MW equivalent 742 megawatt hours (MWH). Depending on the needs of our partners, this will include five installations in Luzon and Visayas,” she said.

Included in the plans is the 10-MW BES project in Aklan Electric Cooperative Inc. (Akelco), which provides electricity services to the province of Aklan, including Boracay.

Akelco partnered with MegaWatt Solutions to install a 10-MW/40-MWh battery in its service area to replace the capacity of the diesel peaking plant of the province and deliver reliable power to its customers in the island of Boracay.

The first of its kind in the Philippines, Capellan said the project would provide power supply of four hours for a 1-MW capacity.

The island of Boracay has a differentiated demand for power since its capacity requirements are dictated by time. This means larger capacity needs to be delivered in the island when thousands of visitors arrive in Boracay during the summer or at the peak season of December. But the capacity falls dramatically, when tourists leave the island.

“Regardless of the power demand of Boracay, we are obligated to contract and supply the island’s peak demand so that resorts and commercial establishments can operate efficiently during the high demand season,” Akelco president Wayne Malilay said.

With the battery installed, Malilay said the power coop will be in a better position to manage supply by storing excess power during lean months and dispatching the stored electricity for use in the Aklan mainland.

“So, even when consumption drops significantly in Boracay during the lean months, Akelco doesn’t have to pass on to the consumers the wasted contracted energy. Excess energy can be transmitted to replace expensive peak power demand,” he said.

Moreover, Akelco will no longer need to procure power from the wholesale market when prices are highest or run our expensive diesel plants, Malilay said.

“We can now store power. Consequently, we are empowered to sell at the most productive and optimal time. We can discharge the battery energy to replace expensive electricity. The savings will redound to our customers,” he said.

After the 10-MW project in Boracay, MegaWatt Solutions is eyeing another 25-MW in the next quarter, Capellan said.