Shane Mulcahy, AEI chief executive officer, said AEI is convincing European companies to visit BNPP and team up with the company to convert the facility into a hydrogen plant.

“We are discussing with large European companies of converting the existing BNPP. We’re looking at refurbishing BNPP and apply the (hydrogen) technology and bring Bataan into production,” Mulcahy told reporters.

“We have the technology and we are looking for partners for commercialization,” he added.

Once converted, BNPP can provide power of as much as 1,000 mw, Mulcahy said.

Lars Parelius, AEI commercial director, said the company was also looking at a decentralized system using hydrogen to power areas that needs additional capacities.

Parelius said the decentralized power system “makes much sense” to an archipelago like the Philippines. Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, for one, plans to put up his own hydrogen facility to power his estate in Ilocos Sur.

Parelius said his company is pushing for hydrogen as a source of power because it is considered as “fuel for the future.” Hydrogen gas combines with oxygen to form water and energy. Hydrogen can replace fuel oil or natural gas to power burners that provide steam for small and large steam turbine electrical power plants.