MANILA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The archipelagic Philippines is studying the possibility of generating power from ocean tides to reduce the reliance on growingly expensive crude oil, the Philippine News Agency reported Tuesday.

    The feasibility test, conducted under an Italian-U.N. funded project, is carried out in the central city of Cebu and will last to the end of the year. Italian-made Kobold turbines have been installed in Cebu to test the intensity of tides there, the agency said.

    The Italian government, through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, has granted the Philippines some 300,000euros (471,400 U.S. dollars) for the project.

    The Colorado Shipyard Corporation, a Cebu-based private firm, is collaborating with the Department of Science and Technology in the feasibility study.

    At present, the Kobold turbine is installed at the Messina Strait in Italy and is generating power of 50 kilowatts, the report said, but it did not reveal the expected power generating capacity of the Philippine project.

    A senior DOST official was quoted as saying that the Philippines was chosen for the demonstration project because it is surrounded by coastal waters, a good resource for marine current power.