Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Cynthia de la Cruz yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ruth Owen of the Smith Bell Corp. on the study for the development of a 70-megawatt wind farm in the town.

The signing ceremony, held at BREDCO port in Bacolod City, was witnessed by Greenpeace campaigners and volunteers who were part of the Asia Energy Revolution Tour on board the vessel, Rainbow Warrior.

Greenpeace advocates the switch from fossil fuels to renewable or clean energy such as wind, hydro and biomass.

Owen is the president of San Carlos Wind Power Corp., which is developing a 30-megawatt wind farm in two barangays in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

She said the company is now in the last stages of the feasibility study and is presently negotiating with local cooperatives for power supply and distribution. De la Cruz told the DAILY STAR the development of the wind farm will be a "milestone" for their municipality.

It will bring in much benefits in terms of business taxes and employment, she said, adding that town residents will also avail of lower power costs.

"I am for it," De La Cruz said, adding that the Sangguniang Bayan has endorsed the MOU between the municipality and Smith Bell. She said she has met with Costa Rica Consul General Rica Fausto Preysler Jr., Smith Bell Group president, with whom she discussed the project.

Romulo Gonzaga, legal officer of Don Salvador Benedicto, said that under the MOU, the municipal government's undertaking include providing assistance to Smith Bell in accessing to the site, in getting community support and endorsement.

Smith Bell, for its part, will select the site where the wind measuring instruments will be set up, install the instruments at its own cost, and oversee its operation and maintenance.

De la Cruz said initial wind speed monitoring shows that Don Salvador Benedicto has higher wind power potential than San Carlos City, thus, Smith Bell projects to generate 70 megawatts of power.

Owen appealed for public support for the project as she pointed out that wind power promises clean energy and is exempted from the Expanded Value-Added Tax, making renewable energy cheaper.*NLG

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