Swift solar auction urged as interest flags
By Maria Bernadette Romero – 06 Jan 2025, 00:20
from The Daily Tribune
These storage solutions provide a short-term fix while supporting the transition to a more sustainable and reliable grid
(FILE PHOTO) Solar Energy.Photograph Courtesy of Powerphilippines
The Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA), a group of solar industry stakeholders, has urged the Department of Energy (DoE) to expedite the fourth round of the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP 4) in early 2025 to advance the country’s renewable energy transition and also revitalize dwindling investors’ confidence.
In a statement over the weekend, the group stressed that timely auction implementation is essential to increasing solar power’s share in the national energy mix and upholding the administration’s credibility in delivering on its clean energy promises.
The upcoming auction will cover floating, rooftop and land-based solar projects, expected to provide a much-needed boost to the sector’s capacity.
“The one-year gap in the scheduled auction has already sent jitters to potential investors. Any further delay will significantly impact the commitment of funders and partners.”
Globally, solar energy continues its rapid rise, having surpassed nuclear energy in 2017, wind power in 2022, and hydropower in 2023.
By 2030, the group said solar photovoltaic (PV) installations are projected to outpace all other electricity generation technologies combined, contributing significantly to global decarbonization efforts.
In the Philippines, solar energy is forecasted to remain the cheapest and fastest-to-install electricity source in 2025. However, the PSSEA highlighted the pressing challenges of grid integration, particularly the issue of curtailment, where solar output is reduced due to grid constraints.
Maximize solar potential
“Curtailment affects both large-scale centralized PV power plants and distributed rooftop systems,” the group explained. As such, it called the DoE to address this concern to maximize solar energy potential.
The PSSEA commended the DoE for including integrated renewable energy systems with storage in the 2025 auction schedule. The addition of storage solutions will help address immediate grid challenges, allowing more solar capacity to be integrated into the system.
“These storage solutions provide a short-term fix while supporting the transition to a more sustainable and reliable grid,” it added.
Additionally, the alliance pointed to the Philippines’ increasing attractiveness as a destination for green investments. Bloomberg recently recognized the country as a prime destination for renewable energy funding, with solar offering advantages in cost, speed of deployment, and environmental impact.
The PSSEA expressed optimism about the benefits of accelerating solar development, emphasizing its potential to create jobs, enhance energy security and protect the environment.
