THE National Power Corp. (Napocor) said it has signed a partnership with the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) to study the feasibility of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in off-grid areas.
“Napocor is excited to partner with GPCCI in exploring the potential of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies,” Fernando Martin Y. Roxas, Napocor president, said in a briefing on Monday.
Napocor and GPCCI were announcing the signing of a memorandum of understanding for a feasibility study, to address “the limitations of existing fossil fuel power generation capacity.”
“We believe the solution lies in embracing innovative and sustainable technologies,” GPCCI President Stefan Schmitz said.
The Department of Energy has said that it is seeking to introduce emerging technologies to the power mix.
Green hydrogen is produced with zero-carbon renewable energy instead of fossil fuels and has the potential to provide clean power for manufacturing and transportation, with only water as a byproduct.
Mr. Schmitz said that the feasibility study aligns with the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as the Philippines transition to a more sustainable energy mix.
Napocor currently operates 281 power plants under its Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG), mostly powered by diesel.
Mr. Schmitz said pilot areas are being considered for the feasibility study.
“We are probably going to look a little bit further south because these are mainly SPUGs. Probably, we’ll focus on the central and southern Philippine area,” he said.
In a statement, Napocor said the project’s success will depend on renewable resource availability, economic factors, accessibility, and community support.
“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,” Mr. Roxas said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose