Manila – 28 November 2023 – In the context of the current global energy crisis and net-zero targets to fight climate change, scientists, policy makers and industry are working together to explore potential solutions that no longer rely on the earth’s fast-depleting and polluting fossil fuel energy sources while ensuring energy independence to the countries. Offshore wind has emerged as one of the game changers in this global energy transition, providing scaled solutions to the governments looking to shift towards renewable energy sources while achieving energy security.
The Philippine offshore wind roadmap released in April 2022 by the Department of Energy and the World Bank Group, estimated that the Philippines has the potential to install 21GW of offshore wind power by 2040. BlueFloat Energy has been working more than 18 months on unlocking this offshore wind potential by exploring the development of floating wind. An agile and fast-growing offshore wind developer with a focus on floating wind technologies, BlueFloat Energy has announced today its market entry in the Philippines through the acquisition of the Wind Energy Service Contracts (WESCs) for four sites in the Philippines – Central Luzon, South Luzon, Northern Luzon, and Southern Mindoro.
Carlos Martin, CEO of BlueFloat Energy, said during his visit to the country announcing the company´s market entry into the Philippines: “We are thrilled to bring BlueFloat Energy’s expertise and experience in offshore wind energy to the Philippines. We believe that by tapping into the country’s vast clean energy potential, we can make a significant contribution towards reducing carbon emissions and fostering a sustainable future for generations to come.”
Offshore wind opportunity
The Philippines, known for its abundant natural resources and favorable coastal conditions, is well-positioned to harness the power of offshore wind. The country’s total technical potential for offshore wind is estimated at 178 GW in the World Bank’s offshore wind roadmap for the Philippines. Large areas around the country’s coast have technically extractable wind resources.
BlueFloat Energy plans to leverage its floating wind expertise and global experience to develop projects along the Philippine coasts.
Prior to joining BlueFloat Energy, Raymund served as Managing Director for the Philippines at the Holdings Company of a Hybrid Microgrid RE Developer based in New York. In his role, he was responsible for developing and managing an ecosystem of partners and to originate and develop projects in the country. He built the local team in the Philippines and established presence in key regions with focus on off-grid areas.
Previously, from 2015 to 2017, he served as Country Head of Strategy and Business Development at Schneider Electric Philippines. He also served as a CEO of a systems integrator company for three years and was a member of Leadership Team/Management Operating Committee of 3M in the Philippines from 2007 to 2010 after having served a term as South-East Asia Regional Head of 3M Telecom Systems Division from 2003 to 2007.
Raymund completed the Executive Development Program of Schneider Electric at Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2016 and earned a number of units in the MBA Program from De La Salle University. He is a graduate of Mapua Institute of Technology with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering.
Raymund Pascual, Country Manager of BlueFloat Energy in the Philippines, said: “We see and believe that our plan aligns well to enable the Transformative Agenda of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 as it focuses on developing and protecting the capabilities of individuals and families, enables production sectors to generate more quality jobs and competitive products, and of course consequently, economic prosperity.”
BlueFloat Energy will work closely with the local communities, government entities, and other stakeholders to ensure that its projects comply with environmental regulations, respect local cultures, and provide long-term benefits for the communities in which it operates.
BlueFloat Energy’s entry into the Philippine market fits well within the company’s strategy for the Asia Pacific region, with project developments already underway in Australia (first feasibility license application submitted for Greater Gippsland area in April this year), New Zealand and Taiwan. BlueFloat Energy now looks forward to supporting the Philippine government in the deployment of the cutting-edge floating wind technology and paving the way for the energy transition.
About BlueFloat Energy
BlueFloat Energy is a nimble and fast-growing offshore wind developer shaping the global energy transformation by bringing scaled decarbonization solutions to new markets. With a focus on floating wind technologies, our portfolio of both bottom-fixed and floating projects comprises 32.4 GW of planned capacity in ten countries across the globe: Spain, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Colombia, Portugal and The Philippines.
Founded by renewable energy professionals, BlueFloat Energy brings together a remarkable team expertise in the design, development, financing, construction and delivery of offshore wind projects.
BlueFloat Energy is supported by 547 Energy, the Quantum Energy Partners’ platform dedicated to clean energy investments. 547 Energy aims to partner with innovative companies who drive the growth of the green energy economy. Quantum Energy Partners is one of the world’s leading dedicated energy investment funds, with a portfolio of over $21 billion of assets under management since its inception in 1998.#
