State-owned Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) has collaborated with a Japanese consortium to study wind energy projects in the country.

The consortium--composed of Mecaro Rio Vista Energy Corp. (MOREnergy), Mecaro Co. Ltd., Philippine Nippon Steel Construction (PNS Construction), and ESCA Engineering--has signed an agreement with PNOC to share knowledge and expertise in the development of wind energy projects.

The consortium will also help PNOC in obtaining technical assistance and technology transfers in the field of wind energy development.

PNOC, on the other hand, will share available technical, financial, and environmental studies and information relative to the country's wind energy program. It will also assist the MOREnergy group in coordinating with government agencies, non-government organizations, and other groups for the promotion and implementation of wind energy projects in the country.

"We are hitting the ground running as PNOC pursues its wind energy development program. We are excited to sign this cooperation with the group of MOREnergy which is just as serious in making renewable energy work for us and for our country using the latest wind turbine technology," PNOC President Antonio Cailao said.

MOREnergy, a joint venture of Rio Vista Properties Inc. and Mecaro, holds the patent of the Spiral Magnus Wind Turbine, the newest wind technology that PNOC is eyeing. The said innovation has spirally-arranged fins attached on its cylinder-shaped blades instead of the common propeller-type blades.

For his part, Energy Secretary and PNOC Chairman Angelo Reyes expressed his approval of the said alliance. "Studies by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows that the country has a total wind resource of 76,600 megawatts (MW) and PNOC intends to tap into this abundant renewable energy source with the latest in wind technology."

Mecaro is a leading Japanese firm in the field of renewable energy, particularly in compact wind turbines. PNS Construction, on the other hand, is an established steel supplier, while ESCA is an engineering company specializing in structural and civil works design.

Meanwhile, Cailao said the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency are studying the prospects of providing financial support to these projects.