The Department of Energy said Monday it expects to publish the notice of auction under the Green Energy Auction Program by the end of the month in preparation for the October implementation.
“As the need for RE increases, we ardently continue to pursue our RE initiatives in achieving a clean energy scenario. I am confident that the enhanced GEAP guidelines and amendments will further bring us closer to our goal,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in a statement.
The department has completed the public consultations on GEAP, which will auction off an initial 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy supply.
The department’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau and the Green Energy Auction Committee held a two-day public consultation on draft department circulars containing the guidelines for the GEAP and the implementing rules and regulation of Republic Act No. 9513.
Energy Assistant Secretary Redentor Delola said the agency was finalizing the comments gathered from stakeholders during the public consultations.
“After promulgation, we will come out with notice of auction. We are still looking at 2,000 MW. End of this month, hopefully we can issue the notice of auction,” Delola said.
The auction will be conducted per technology with target capacity.
“One of the things that we’ve discussed within the DOE is actually try to improve on the GEAP to hit our targets using existing mechanisms that will increase the share of RE in the market, increase the available supply of power in the grid, and at the same time will increase the Renewable Portfolio Standards allocation of the distribution utilities,” Delola said.
The department also conducted consultations for the amendments to the RE Act’s implementing rules and regulations on corporate income tax and other incentives.
The policies aim to increase the RE program in line with the government’s aspirational target of attaining 35-percent RE share in the generation mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.
“We have decided to come up with a more practical, proven and effective framework to facilitate increase investment in the RE capacities through a level-playing field that would result in attainment of transparent and competitive rates,” Renewable Energy Management Bureau director Mylene Capongcol said.
The purpose of the new guidelines on GEAP is to provide immediate and timely investments, support the development of and increase access to financing for new or additional capacities under a competitive process, as well as implement programs that promote clean and sustainable environment.