How Much Wind Could Most Philippine Solar Projects Take?

With the extended Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) subsidy for solar projects, many foreign and local solar developers are still racing to bag the remaining 450-megawatt (MW) capacity.

Solar energy, being the most expensive technology among the renewable energy resources has to be the most efficient and have less disadvantages.

However — with any business — solar still has its natural risks especially in a country like the Philippines.

With the country’s harsh weather conditions solar panels could be blown away by strong winds or could be smashed by earthquakes.

Due to the risks of the country’s natural conditions, the disadvantages of solar panels in the Philippines are maximized.

This reporter asked the main contractor of ongoing and installed solar projects around the country, a total of 274-MW projects, how much wind their solar panels could withstand.

Alexander Lenz, president of Conergy for South East Asia, said all their projects in the country “have mounting structures that are designed for up to 270 kilometers per hour of permanent windspeed and can take temporary higher wind speed from wind gusts.”

He added the firm, which holds more than 50-percent of the solar contractor’s market share, designs the wind speed resilience based on wind statistics.

The president further explained most of their projects have ramming pile foundations, which are proven to be sturdy.

Of all their projects in the country, only one project, San Carlos Solar Energy, Inc. Phase 1 had been concreted due to the low quality of the soil in the area.

Lenz stressed all their panels have the same quality, but the projects have different costs due to the varying mounting structures.

The president also said the Philippines has an “almost ideal environment” for solar panels due to the “excellent irradiation.”

Lenz added the German-firm will stay in the country and will defend its 55-percent market share — even without a third round of the FiT subsidy, which are granted to renewable-energy projects that are completed within a certain deadline applicable for 20 years.

For Conergy’s portfolio of projects around the world, the Philippines ranks second — only behind the United Kingdom in terms of capacity.

The firm is currently constructing an additional 219 MWs of solar projects for other companies, which are all targeted to make the cut for the Php 8.69 FiT by March 15, 2016.

If Conergy completes the projects in time, it will be the contractor that built 55-percent of the FiT granted solar farms at 274 MWs from the initial 500-MW targeted capacity. (PNA) CTB/JLD