DAVAO CITY, Philippines –Two provinces and one city in Mindanao are set to benefit from a stable power supply after a French energy firm, Hydrogen de France (HDF) S.A., formally announced its intention to establish renewable energy projects in the region. These projects will involve green hydrogen (Renewstable) and the production of electricity on demand from decarbonized hydrogen (HyPower).
On Friday, representatives from Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Zamboanga City signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) with HDF to develop these renewable power plants. The signing ceremony, held at the Acacia Hotel in Davao City, was witnessed by Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno and Marie Fontanel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines.
The MoC outlines collaboration in information-sharing, stakeholder coordination, and technical validation for HDF’s grid assessment and feasibility studies. These steps are crucial for the planning and development of HDF’s renewable projects.
During a press briefing, Mathieu Geze, president and director of HDF Energy Philippines Holdings Inc., stated that the project aims to generate a 10-megawatt stable power supply for the provinces and cities involved. Geze mentioned that they expect the renewable energy projects to be completed within two years following their study.
“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 explained, adding that their total pipeline projects for the Philippines are estimated at around USD 1.5 billion.
HDF aims to finance the construction of at least 10 Renewstable power plants in Mindanao, focusing on off-grid areas and regions within the grid experiencing insufficient power.
Surigao del Norte provincial administrator Rise Faith Recabo highlighted the potential impact of the project on local power issues. “We have been experiencing high power rates for our electric bills for the longest time, and in the Siargao Islands, the electricity problem has been ongoing for around five years,” Recabo said.
Dr. Trisha Goloran, representing Agusan del Sur, noted that the project would similarly benefit her province, which faces power supply challenges akin to Surigao del Norte.
Raul Regondola, chairman and administrator of the Zamboanga Ecozone, expressed gratitude to HDF for selecting Zamboanga City as one of the project’s recipients. “It will bring lower electricity rates and generate employment. We are looking forward to establishing the HYPower, and this technology is new to us,” Regondola said, adding that Zamboanga City has long been plagued by frequent power outages, averaging four to five times daily.
MinDA Secretary Leo Tereso Magno emphasized that this development is one of the significant accomplishments of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration. “The President has instructed all government agencies, including MinDA, to ensure that investors coming in for public-private partnerships will enjoy the ease of doing business in our place,” Magno stated.
This initiative by HDF not only aims to enhance the power infrastructure in Mindanao but also signifies a major step towards sustainable energy solutions in the region.