Inauguration Ceremony of Challenergy’s First Wind Turbine in the Philippines

On August 25, Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa participated online in the inauguration ceremony for the 10kW Magnus Vertical Axis Wind Turbine installed in Basco, Batanes by Challenergy, a Japanese startup company headquarted in Tokyo. The ceremony held on Batan Island was also attended by Honorable Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco, Honorable Basco Mayor Demetrius Paul Narag, Challenergy Founder and CEO Atsushi Shimizu, and Challenergy Philippines CEO Paul Michael Robles.

The newly installed system was made possible with funding support from the Government of Japan. Challenergy started working on the Batanes project in 2019. Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, its construction works were completed from April to August of this year.

Challenergy’s new wind turbine operates even in strong winds and promises a new energy opportunity for places with high wind potential but hindered by the risk of typhoons. The microgrid system utilizing this technology is expected to contribute to the improvement of energy access even during typhoons and to the betterment of livelihood of the people of the Philippines.