Nearly 7,000 energy projects have been committed this year, with renewable energy dominating the Philippine energy landscape, government data revealed.
Of the total, Luzon accounts for 5,754 projects, including 3,923 renewable energy developments. Solar power remains the top choice with 3,060 planned facilities, followed by 759 wind parks and 68 geothermal sites. Hydropower accounts for 35 projects, while biomass has one.
The Department of Energy (DOE) also reported 1,320 natural gas- and 11 oil-fired power plants in the pipeline, with Luzon hosting 500 coal projects.
Despite the DOE’s moratorium on new coal plants in 2020, existing coal facilities remain eligible for expansion.
In the Visayas, 846 renewable energy projects are planned, with 742 of them being solar parks. Oil-based developments total nine.
Mindanao has the fewest committed projects at 232, with 176 for renewable energy and 56 oil-based facilities.
The DOE has also received commitments for 230 battery energy storage systems (BESS) to address the intermittent nature of renewable energy. These systems are vital for grid stability and efficient energy distribution.
Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla emphasized that the power supply outlook for 2023 has significantly improved due to new generation capacity and transmission line upgrades.
“It’s important to stress that we are in a much better situation this year than we were compared to last year,” he said.
Power demand is projected to rise by 5.4 percent in Luzon to 14,769 megawatts (MW), 16 percent in the Visayas to 3,111 MW, and 8.2 percent in Mindanao to 2,789 MW.
The surge in clean energy projects reflects the government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to sustainable energy sources.
