Northern Samar to host Southeast Asia’s first tidal energy plant

Northern Samar. INQUIRER FILES

TACLOBAN CITY—A remote island-town in Northern Samar province is set to become the home of the first tidal power facility in Southeast Asia, a local official said.

The tidal energy plant will be constructed in Capul town by Energies Ph Inc. through its affiliate, San Bernardino Ocean Power Corp., according to Jan Allen Berbon, head of the Provincial Economic and Development Investment Promotion Office.

“Tidal power in Northern Samar will not only generate jobs and benefit the environment but also contribute to energy stability and help reduce prices,” he said on Saturday.

Tidal power harnesses energy from the natural rise and fall of tides caused by the gravitational interaction between the earth, the sun and the moon.Tidal currents, which carry sufficient energy for harvesting, occur when water passes through a constriction.

Capul was selected as the pilot area for the tidal power project due to its strategic location along the San Bernardino Strait, known for its strong ocean currents, the primary source of tidal energy, according to Berbon.

READ: $25-M tidal power plant in Samar eyed

The Filipino-led Energies Ph Inc. engaged in green energy development, awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the one-megawatt project to the United Kingdom-based Inyanga Marine Energy Group.

Inyanga is renowned for its involvement in global offshore renewable projects and operates two divisions: tidal energy technology development with HydroWing and offshore engineering and installation with Inyanga Maritime.

Historic site

Jean Christophe Allo, Inyanga’s commercial manager, said HydroWing tidal stream technology will be employed to generate tidal power and ensure continuous power supply.

At present, Capul Island, known for its significant role in the Galleon Trade during the Spanish era, relies on a 750-kilowatt diesel power plant operating for 16 hours a day.

Officials from Energies Ph Inc. are scheduled to meet with Gov. Edwin Ongchuan next month to further discuss the project which is expected to not only bolster the province’s power supply but also create job opportunities for locals.

Inyanga, in a statement, said the tidal stream energy is the most predictable and reliable form of renewable energy with its HydroWing technology that represents the pinnacle of innovation and offers a cost-effective solution for harnessing ocean tides.

HydroWing is currently Inyanga’s largest tidal stream development project in Wales, England. INQ