driven by energy security concerns caused by the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it will urgently accelerate the grid connection of 22 renewable energy and energy storage projects with a total capacity of 1.471GW, with the goal of completing the connection by April 2026. Among them, solar photovoltaic projects accounted for nearly 90%, reaching 1.284GW, becoming the core pillar of the emergency plan.
The immediate trigger for this acceleration plan is the impact of the escalating Middle East crisis on the global oil market. The Philippine government has decided to rapidly advance a total of 1.471GW of new renewable energy and storage capacity to ensure that it is connected to the grid by April 2026. Among the 22 selected projects, solar photovoltaic occupies an absolute dominant position with a total capacity of 1.284GW, and the rest include 6 hydropower stations (48.23MW), 2 biomass energy projects (38MW), 1 wind power project (13.56MW) and a 20MW integrated renewable energy storage system (IRESS). The Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) stated that all of the listed projects are at an advanced stage of construction or undergoing final testing and commissioning. The initiative aims to implement Executive Order 110 (Executive Order No. 110) to provide a stable and reliable supply of electricity to Philippine households and businesses, while alleviating the pressure of rising fuel costs. The grid-connection of these facilities will provide critical short-term capacity support to meet growing electricity demand and enhance the overall reliability of the grid in the context of the ongoing impact of the global oil market in the Middle East. The emergency action is part of a broader directive by Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to accelerate construction of 200 power plants over the next three years. So far, 24 projects have been put into operation, with a total installed capacity of 1.178GW, including three solar projects and seven battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities. The accelerated 22 projects are an important part of the three-year plan.
Philippine Secretary of Energy Sharon S. Garin emphasized: “Every megawatt that can be safely and legally connected to the grid will enhance our ability to meet demand, manage supply risks, and protect consumers.” She added that the Department of Energy is fully involved in the entire power value chain from generation and transmission to market operations to ensure that these projects are implemented as soon as possible. In particular, Garin said: “In the context of the Middle East conflict, accelerating the development of renewable energy and energy storage is both a strategic necessity and a national imperative.”
In addition, the Department of Energy also welcomed the grid connection of the first batch of 250MW solar energy and 450MWh battery energy storage capacity of MTerra Solar. With a total planned capacity of up to 3.5GW solar and 4.5GWh energy storage, the project aims to create the largest integrated project of its kind in the world. At the same time, the Philippines also announced a 10-year Green Energy Auction Program (GEA), which plans to auction at least 25GW of new renewable energy capacity by 2035.
