An Aboitiz power barge in Maco, Davao de Oro. Photo from the Facebook page of Therma Marine Inc.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 6 February) – The Aboitiz-led Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) is set to inaugurate next month the 49-megawatt floating hybrid Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Maco, Davao de Oro that can store excess electricity from power plants, an executive of the AboitizPower Thermal Business Group said.
Lawyer Alona Suzell Ruyeras-Borromeo, the group’s corporate services business partner for Mindanao, said during Kapehan sa Davao on Monday that the BESS is pivotal for energy storage infrastructure and stability of the Mindanao grid.
She said hybrid technology is a first of its kind in the country because it puts together a battery energy storage and an oil power plant “to ensure a fast and sustainable energy delivery.”
She said the facility is vital to the grid because it can store the excess power generated by “highly volatile” renewable power sources when demand is low and release stored electricity at peak demand, reducing grid strain and preventing power service interruptions.
“This marks significant milestones for both Aboitiz Power and the entire Mindanao, showcasing our commitment to stable power supply, innovative energy solutions, and journey towards sustainable energy in the Philippines,” she said.
She claimed that the BESS can impressively synchronize to the grid whenever it is needed in a matter of milliseconds unlike existing storage facilities in the country that take several minutes to ramp up.
According to the press release of Aboitiz Power, the BESS “will complement TMI’s existing diesel engines by providing ancillary services to sustain the transmission capacity and energy that are essential in maintaining the power quality, reliability, and security of the Mindanao grid.”
“We are seeing this innovative system as greatly helping self-sufficiency and resilience of the Mindanao energy landscape. This technology also paves the way for a future with more renewable energy and our portfolio as it actually addresses the volatility of renewables,” Borromeo said.
She said construction of the BESS project began in 2021 and was turned over to TMI in the last quarter of 2023 after its completion.
She said the energy storage facility can be useful, for instance, during a period of long drought because it can store electrical energy when there is a surplus in supply, and release the stored power to consumers later on even when the hydro plants are not operating at their normal capacity due to low water levels. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
