Politics also
Friday, January 17, 2014
SOMEHOW, one other positive event has come about attuned to our celebration of the Sinulog festival. This is the revelation of a corporate organization in the province that no less than the Cebu governor has approved its proposal for a renewable energy project.
What the Amihan Energy Corp. (AEC) plans to do is construct windmills in Balamban town, Toledo City, and Sudlon II of Cebu City, a three-point area that is close together, with some 20,000 hectare-land.
The three cooperators that have set the installation of the project in a matter of three months, and hoping to make the installation operational by December this year, include Mudalaya Berhad Malaysia, and Dongturbo Electric Company Ltd. of China.
The entry of China as one of the three corporate generators of the proposal should give us no mean consolation in the sense that, at the moment, the current diplomatic atmosphere in China does not seem conducive to good relations.
But that is an entirely different matter that can be left to the Chinese political leadership. Right now, what is elemental is the reality of being offered an opportunity for economic development and progress in our own backyard with the help of a traditional trading/business partner that dates back to many decades ago.
The windmill project is not new to our country at all. Some years back, I saw windmills built along a seashore in Ilocos Norte, giving electric energy to nearby villages.
The construction of windmills in Cebu City and environs is said to have also gained the unqualified support of concerned leaders of beneficiary local government units.
This means that the way to the project’s accomplishments has been cleared and a renewable energy source for this 20,000-hectare land is definitely assured next year, in time for the run-up to the 2016 polls for president.
Then we could ascertain whether economic developments influence elections.
At any rate, the project would be the first one in this part of the Philippines. AEC said that it has been studying Cebu in the last seven years, and has confirmed that the wind in the area is strong enough to be harnessed as source of energy.
A single windmill can generate 2 or 2.5 mega watts of power. And the AEC officials estimate that Phase One of the project, which they estimate can be accomplished possibly in three months, would be able to generate 62 mega watts.
However, when fully operational, all the windmills would be able to produce a combined energy of about 200 megawatts. Hence, it could potentially “electrify” the three local government units of Balamban town, Toledo City and Cebu City and fulfill AEC’s “contract with the National Government for the production of wind power in Cebu.”
Perhaps, a Sinulog devotee can consider this a Señor Sto. Nino miracle, too. After all, how else would you call wind power producing clean sustainable energy? source
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