POLANGUI, Albay– Tabaco City officials and stakeholders have approved the wave energy project for a month-long study in Natunawan Island, Tabaco City, on Tuesday, February 13.
Buogralon, a private energy company based in Hong Kong, proposed the project, which aims to introduce an additional renewable energy source as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels, harnessing energy from wave motion.
According to Reynold Martirez, the Tabaco City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO), the company will construct a prototype to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing ocean waves in the area for energy generation.
The city government officials and stakeholders promptly endorsed the proposal, reassured by the company’s commitment to non-invasive methods that would not disrupt marine life or discharge fuels, and solely aimed at data collection for research purposes.
However, Martirez expressed doubt regarding the feasibility of the wave energy proposal for the island. Despite the potential success of the study and the promising technology, he emphasized that various other factors must be taken into account before implementation can proceed.
“Although it is a promising technology, ‘yong area na napili nila ay [mahirap] kung doon sila maglalagay sa Natunawan [Island], between kasi ay San Miguel Island. Hindi pwede kasi ‘yong traffic, dinadaanan ‘yon pa-Catanduanes, mga international ships at bangka,” Martirez said in the interview.
As of writing, the date for the conduct of the month-long study by Buogralon has not yet been determined, according to CENRO. | Melojane Guiriña