THE National Power Corporation (Napocor) and the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) have agreed to jointly explore the potential of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in off-grid areas.
They announced Monday the conduct of a feasibility study which aims to support the modernization of power generating assets in off-grid areas by exploring the potential replacement of diesel-powered systems with green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
“With our mandate to provide electricity to rural areas and our commitment to optimizing power generation assets, this collaboration presents an opportunity to modernize power systems and reduce emissions. We believe this feasibility study will pave the way for a sustainable and climate-friendly energy transition in the Philippines,” said Napocor President Fernando Martin Roxas.
The GPCCI said the feasibility study could take at least two to three months to be completed.
The project, which is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, will be implemented in three phases.
The first phase involves site selection in which Napocor will provide technical and economic data while GPCCI will assist in data gathering.
Phase 2 will involve the modeling of the selected sites by the Reiner Lemoine Institut (RLI) in collaboration with stakeholders.
For the last phase, GPCCI will launch an information campaign to disseminate the project’s results.
Officials from Napocor and GPCCI said during the launch of their collaboration that they are committed to contributing to a sustainable and climate-friendly energy transition in off-grid areas of the Philippines. The project, they stressed, aims to showcase the economic and environmental benefits of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies while promoting sustainable development and supporting the country’s development goals.
This collaboration also underscores the commitment of the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety to knowledge and technology transfer in the field of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
“The Philippines is experiencing rapid growth in energy demand, and the existing fossil fuel power generation capacity is unable to keep up with this growth in an environmentally friendly manner,” said GPCCI President Stefan Schmitz.
“In light of the challenges related to energy supply and rising fuel and transportation costs that contribute to high electricity prices, the GPCCI and Napocor recognize the potential of hydrogen technology and fuel cells as an alternative energy solution for off-grid areas,” he added.