Blueleaf in talks with Chinese firms for floating solar projects

RENEWABLE ENERGY company Blueleaf Energy Philippines is eyeing to tap two Chinese firms for the construction of its 250-megawatt (MW) floating solar project in Lake Caliraya and Lake Lumot in Laguna.

The company is in talks with Xian Electric Engineering Co. Ltd. and China Energy Engineering Corp. for its engineering, procurement, and construction contract, Blueleaf Energy Senior Manager Pradeep Gopalakrishnan told reporters late Tuesday.

“We are in talks with others, but we are almost finalizing these two here,” he said.

Blueleaf is aiming to build a 250-MW floating solar project in Caliraya and Lumot Lakes in Laguna with NKS Energy Utilities, Inc.

The construction of the floating solar project consists of two phases.

Phase 1 involves the 162-MW Caliraya floating solar project, while Phase 2 focuses on the 88-MW Lumot floating solar project.

Xian Electric will be in charge of the substation and transmission, while Energy China will work on the panels for the floating solar project.

The NKS Solar One project is targeted for construction by the first quarter of 2025 and is scheduled to come online by the second quarter of 2026.

Blueleaf Energy is also developing a 1,300-MW floating solar facility in Laguna Lake with solar energy company SunAsia Energy, Inc.

The BlueSolar project is scheduled for construction and operations by 2025 and 2026, respectively. It will span the towns of Cabuyao, Sta. Rosa, Calamba, Victoria, and Bay.

The company is estimating a project cost of P15 billion for NKS Solar One and P66 billion for BlueSolar.

Blueleaf Energy is a portfolio company of Australia-based Macquarie Capital “operating on a stand-alone basis.” It specializes in onshore renewable energy business that develops and operates utility-scale solar projects. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera