UK firm invests $500M in solar mfg in Subic

UK-based Stratospheric Airship Technologies will invest $500 million in the Subic Bay freeport zone for the construction of solar-powered commercial airships.

SAT, a pioneer in the manufacturing of commercial airships, recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with SBMA.

Once fully operational, SAT will employ about 2,500 workers.

“When we looked at Subic, (we saw that) it had everything we needed — good security, good infrastructure, the airport. It is weather-sheltered, labor force is not a problem; it is in close proximity to Manila, it is a free port, and it is more or less in the middle of the ASEAN region,” SAT managing director Bryn Lloyd Williams said.

He explained that the company is eyeing to take over the area near the Subic International Airport which will be vacated by FedEx once it transfers its Asian hub to Guangzhou, China this year.

The 10-hectare facility will house SAT's giant warehouses, hangars, and its huge single-spanned building.

For this project, Williams said SAT would be also be constructing in “the largest single-spanned building in Southeast Asia.”

According to Williams, the airships will operate at a height of 65,000-70,000 feet — high above the clouds and air movement.

The design of the airships is based on the early 20th century Zeppelins, but inert helium will be used instead of hydrogen in order to prevent fires.

Williams also said that SAT is already talking to the country's telecommunications giant Globe and Smart for the land based and satellite systems.

Williams explained that the high-altitude unmanned airships will provide communications links covering entire countries, a new trend that has promising prospects in view of the telecommunications industry's rapid growth.

“The key technological advantage here is that we don't need the ground infrastructure which is too costly and sometimes, very difficult to install. In some places, it gets stoned or vandalized, and weather conditions interfere with its performance,” he said.

Williams also said the technology they have developed is 30 percent cheaper than the conventional satellite provision.

He added that the SAT technology would also enable many rural areas to be serviced with broadband and phone connections.

The company expects to see actual production by 2011 or 2012. SAT will be producing at least 18 units a year to be sold in the ASEAN market for $70 million each.

“We should be able to work up to a $1 billion in exports a year,” said Williams. “So far we have identified a market for about 70 units, so that would keep this going for a number of years.”