Our next stop was a totally unexpected one. You see, among the most scenic backpacking destinations we’ve ever visited are the wind farms of Ilocos Norte. Seeing how beautifully those towering windmills blend together with the pristine landscape made us realize that there is truly hope for establishing and promoting renewable energy in the country.
So it was truly a happy surprise for us to know, see, and actually visit another expansive wind farm right here in the Visayas. With turbines scattered over five barangays, the San Lorenzo Wind Farm is the first of its kind in the Visayas. Like its counterpart in Northern Luzon, it aims to supply the region with clean, renewable energy while serving as a tourist destination at the same time.on a fish-shaped board at the entrance greeted us. Entrance fee is P10 per person only.
“ It was our first time to be face-to-face with one of these towering windmills. Each Gamesa windmill stands at 123 meters tall, and each turbine generates 2 megawatts of power. To reach the rotor itself, personnel would have to ride a small elevator inside the trunk.”
We will never be able to go up a windmill to see those blades in action; going up the trunk is for authorized personnel only. Fortunately, a spare (or damaged) blade is placed here as an “attraction.” And yes, at 90 meters per blade, it’s absolutely monstrous!
The windmills are subjected to enormous stresses, thus, they have to be sturdily built and braced well. The poured concrete for each windmill’s foundation is enough to build two medium-sized houses! Dozens upon dozens of thick bolts—the black contraptions surrounding the trunk—secure the tower to the foundation; the engineers are definitely not taking chances!
The San Lorenzo Wind Farm has 27 wind turbines, generating a total output of 54 megawatts. This power is distributed to various power utilities in Cebu, Negros, and areas in Western Visayas via the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.
Bong said that the Trans-Asia Renewable Energy Corporation, the operator of the wind farm, plans to increase the number of windmills to 54 in the coming few years. Yes, we are seeing a bright, clean future ahead.
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