‘Ambitious approach’ to add 1.65GW wind energy capacity in the Philippines by 2026

It is expected to result in $1.1b gross value added to the economy. 

The Philippines is expected to see almost 1.65 gigawatts (GW) of additional wind energy capacity to be installed between 2022 and 2026 if installations were taken in a “more ambitious approach,” according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

In the “Capturing Green Recovery Energy Opportunities for Wind Power in Emerging Economies” report, the accelerated wind energy installations will also result in $1.1b direct and indirect gross value added to the country’s economy between 2022 and 2026, compared to the $700m gross value added under the business-as-usual scenario.

GWEC said in a statement that the installations would “support a 70% increase in jobs as well as saving more than 65 million metric tons of carbon emissions equivalent." 

The report said the green recovery scenario which sees accelerated wind installations will create around 9,000 direct and indirect full-time jobs between 2022 and 2026 during the development, construction and installation phase.

It will also provide 2,700 annual direct and indirect jobs for the operation and maintenance for the lifetime of the wind farms, whilst for the supply chain category, it has the potential to create 34,000 new jobs compared to the business-as-usual scenario.

The council forecast that under the business-as-usual scenario, almost 1.15GW of wind capacity will be installed during the same period.

The business-as-usual scenario will create 6,000 direct and indirect full-time jobs and 1,500 annual direct and indirect jobs for operations and maintenance.

GWEC said the wind energy proportion of renewable energy in the Philippines “has modestly increased,” but the rate of increase declined in the last five years.

Between 2011 and 2016, around 390 megawatts (MW) of wind energy had been installed, but from 2016 to 2021, only 20MW were installed, majority of which were done in 2016, the council said in the report citing data from Statista.