Philippines

Acen Renewables, a Manila-based developer, is building two solar plants in the provinces of Pangasinan and Zambales.

New provisions in the Philippines define interconnection standards, the certification of compliance requirements, and pricing methodologies, among other matters.

The government of the Philippines has introduced a new preferential dispatch policy for renewable energy in the country’s wholesale electricity spot market. It has also started to amend the Renewable Energy Act to remove a 40% ownership cap on foreign investments in clean energy projects.

A new 1.3 GW floating PV array in the Philippines will require an investment of around $1.2 billion. Developers Blueleaf Energy and SunAsia said the project will likely be completed and switched on in 2024.

The main winner of the first renewables auction in the Philippines was developer Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp. (SPNEC), which secured five solar projects, or 1.35 GW of capacity.

Eight of the 24 bidders in the latest renewables auction in the Philippines are focusing on solar, along with eight bidders looking at wind, seven linked to run-of-river hydro, and one connected to biomass.

Philippines-based Prime Infrastructure Holdings has unveiled plans to construct a massive solar farm and energy storage project featuring up to 3.5 GW of PV backed by up to 4.5 GWh of battery energy storage in the Southeast Asian nation.

Meralco has decided to reopen a renewables tender, following its initial failed launch in late January.

The ceiling price for PV was the lowest among the four renewable energy technologies eligible to compete in the procurement exercise.

The Philippines’ Department of Energy hopes to allocate 1,260 MW of solar through the procurement exercise.