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Investor signs up to study wind power potential
A global electricity generator, Impact Electrons Siam Co Ltd, hopes to develop a wind power project in Laos within the next five years.
The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday with the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment to develop a monsoon wind farm power project.
“This project will be a world class wind power development,” the company's Executive Director, Mr Mark Jobling, said on signing the MOU.
“We anticipate that the wind farms will have an installed capacity of about 600 megawatts (MW).”
The MOU covers the study of a proposed phased project in Khammuan, Savannakhet and Xekong provinces.
“I think investment in this venture is definitely possible. The proposal would see the first phase of commercial operations in 2015,” Mr Jobling said.
Laos is not just a beautiful country but blessed by nature to have world class hydropower developments and “we believe that the monsoon winds which move across Laos will allow for the undertaking of commercial wind power development,” he said.
The project will see Laos at the forefront of the worldwide discussion on carbon. Pending satisfactory completion of feasibility studies, negotiations between the governments of Laos and Thailand will be conducted regarding the purchase of power, Mr Jobling added.
Impact Electrons Siam Co Ltd looks forward to working with the relevant provinces to undertake the feasibility testing of wind resources.
“We will work cooperatively with all government agencies and local people to ensure that all parties understand the project and the fact that it has no impact on local communities and no impact on agricultural activities,” Mr Jobling said.
“We believe this project will open up a new avenue to benefit local people through the harnessing of wind resources.”
The Lao government is actively promoting the nation's hydropower resources to increase electricity production and supply power for both domestic use and export to neighbouring countries.
Minister of Energy and Mines Mr Soulivong Daravong said at the 29th Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting held in Brunei recently that Laos can help Asean countries to reduce their use of fossil fuels, which are the main source of greenhouse gas emissions and importantly can help Asean to stabilise its power supply.
At least two new power plants will be brought on line in Laos each year between now and 2020. In 2006 the country had only 10 power plants with a total capacity of 700MW but now has 14 plants with a total capacity of 2,540MW.
vientiane times
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