THE Department of Energy (DOE) will seek bids for 335 megawatt (MW) capacity to be generated from waste-to-energy (WTE) power facilities in January next year.
The agency said on Thursday it will conduct a special auction round specifically designed for WTE projects that will source their waste feedstock within Metro Manila and Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) areas, and with target completion date by the fourth quarter 2027.
Energy Undersecretary Mylene Capongocol said the 335MW capacity is an initial estimate that was based on 2024 Solid Waste Generation data of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), which said that Metro Manila and HUCs generate an estimated 6.12 million metric tons of municipal solid waste, equivalent to 335 MW base load.
The notice of auction and terms of reference are scheduled for issuance within the month.
Interested parties will be given sufficient time to comply with the green energy auction (GEA) registration requirements prior to the auction proper in January next year.
In addition, the DOE announced that there will be a succeeding auction round for biomass and WTE technologies targeted by second quarter of next year which will cover biomass and WTE projects to be located all over the country.
As an emerging renewable energy technology, WTE project development is one of the country’s strategies to address solid waste management, serve as flood control mitigation, and provide additional clean energy.
This initiative is aligned with the objectives of the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) and the government’s renewable energy targets of 35 percent in the energy mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.
‘The integration of WTE projects into the GEA framework underscores the DOE’s commitment to ensuring energy security, environmental protection, and private sector participation in the country’s transitioning to clean and sustainable energy,’ the agency said.