Siemens Gamesa has secured a landmark order to supply, install and commission 32 onshore turbines for the largest wind farm in the Philippines to date, marking a resurgence for the wind industry in the country.
The 160 MW Balaoi & Caunayan wind project will be developed by Asia’s pioneering renewable energy developers UPC Renewables and AC Energy and will feature 18 units of the SG 5.0-145 and 14 units of the SG 5.0-132 turbines. Both are among the most competitive turbine models in the region. Additionally, Siemens Gamesa signed a five-year contract to provide operation and maintenance services, ensuring optimized performance of the wind farm.
As the second most-populous country in Southeast Asia with demand for electricity growth at 6% annually, the Philippines has embarked on a concerted strategy to reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels and has set a target of 35% for renewables energy installations by 2030. Continuous technology improvements have already made wind energy become one of the cheapest local sources of electricity in the country.
“We are pleased to extend our longstanding partnership with UPC Renewables and AC Energy, and jointly strike a long-awaited positive turning point in the Philippines. We will continue to bring advanced products and tailored renewable energy solutions to support our valued customers as more opportunities are expected to arise in the Philippines as well as other Southeast Asian markets,” said Mart Huismans, sales head of Siemens Gamesa in Southeast Asia.
Since its first project in 2014, Siemens Gamesa has installed six projects totalling 259 MW with a leading market share of 60% of the total fleet in the Philippines. The company has also a leading position in Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
“As the leading wind and hybrid solution provider in the Philippines, we have expanded our local presence and accumulated proven experience to exceed customer expectations. We are well positioned to support our customers and partners to accelerate the penetration of wind energy, bringing low-cost electricity to many households and creating job opportunities in communities as well as improving the local energy security during the post-Covid green recovery,” added Jan Zwarteveen, Managing Director of Siemens Gamesa in the Philippines.
Siemens Gamesa has been expanding in Asia Pacific since the 1980s and has installed more than 9.45 GW of onshore turbines in China, Pakistan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. On the offshore side, the company completed the installation of Taiwan’s first offshore wind power plant in 2019 (128 MW) and was selected as the preferred supplier for an additional 3 GW of projects.
