Key Takeaways:
- Hydrogen de France (HDF) is set to put up renewable energy projects in Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Zamboanga City.
- Green hydrogen and decarbonized hydrogen are two options being explored.
- This project aims to provide more stable and reliable power to these three key areas in Mindanao.
July 2024 saw the French energy firm Hydrogen de France (HDF) formalize its intention to work with the Philippine government in boosting renewable energy in three key areas in Mindanao—Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Zamboanga City.
These renewable energy projects will explore green hydrogen (Renewstable) or electricity-on-demand through decarbonized hydrogen (HyPower). The goal is to provide stable and reliable energy to the key areas.
A memorandum of cooperation (MoC) was signed by representatives from Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Zamboanga City, together with HDF on July 19, 2024.
The MoC serves to validate the HDF grid assessment, as well as to ensure information sharing, stakeholder coordination, and the undertaking of feasibility studies between parties during the planning and development process of HDF’s projects.
Witness to the signing ceremony were Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno and Marie Fontanel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines.
Following the signing was a press briefing held at the Acacia Hotel. Mathieu Geze, president and director of HDF Energy Philippines Holdings Inc. said the project will generate a 10-megawatt power supply to provinces and cities.
“We have two key stakeholders—the local government, which will provide the land and the electric cooperative. If there is no land and no electric cooperative agreement, no project will be made,” Geze said. He also said that their total pipeline project budget for the Philippines is estimated to be around USD 1.5 billion.
HDF’s goal is to finance the construction of at least ten Renewstable power plants in Mindanao, concentrating on underserved areas within the power grid, as well as off-grid regions.
Surigao del Norte provincial administrator Rise Faith Recabo said this project could solve their longstanding power problems. “We have been experiencing it for the longest time –high power rates for our electric bills, and then in the Siargao Islands, the electricity there is a problem and has been going for around five years,” he said in an interview.
Similarly, Agusan del Sur representative Dr. Trisha Goloran said that they are experiencing the same problems with power supply and that this project will “surely benefit the people.”
Zamboanga Ecozone chairman and administrator Raul Regondola acknowledged HDF for selecting Zamboanga City to be part of the project. According to him, Zamboanga City experiences an average of four to five daily power outages.
Regondola said, “It will bring lower electricity rates and will generate employment. We are looking forward to establishing the HYPower, and this technology is new to us.”MinDa Secretary Magno said that this project is significant to the current administration. “The President has instructed all government agencies, including MinDA, to make sure that if investors are coming in for public-private partnership, we will make sure that they will enjoy the ease of doing business in our place.”
Source: French energy firm to put up renewable projects in Mindanao
