PH eyes RE and storage systems through Q4 green energy auction

LNG technologies will also be covered. 

The Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the conduct of the Green Energy Auction (GEA)-4 in the fourth quarter of the year that will cover Integrated Renewable Energy and Energy Storage System (IRESS).

In a statement, DOE said IRESS combines renewable energy technologies with energy storage technologies, such as batteries, flywheel or pumped storage hydropower systems. This allows clean energy plants to optimise their operations by storing excess energy generated during peak production periods and utilising it when needed, reducing the required capacity from the grid.

DOE Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara said the department is working with its partners to study the design and economic viability of IRESS.

With the expected high entry of renewable energy into the grid, the department said liquefied natural gas (LNG) technologies will also be considered in GEA-4. The DOE will conduct studies and simulations to assess the impact on price, dispatch, contracts, energy, and capacity. 

So far, the DOE has conducted two rounds of auction that generated 5,306 megawatts of renewable energy capacities to be delivered in 2024 to 2026. Additional capacities will be auctioned in GEA-3 this third quarter. This round specifically caters to non-FIT eligible RE facilities, such as geothermal, impounding and pumped-storage, as well as run-of-river hydro.