The Department of Energy (DOE) and private developers officially broke ground on the Tantangan Solar Project in South Cotabato, a major renewable energy initiative set to deliver clean power to over 82,000 homes in Mindanao.

Led by Apolaki Seven, Inc. and ib vogt GmbH, the project will feed 99 MWp of renewable energy into the national grid. Once operational, the solar facility is expected to generate over 150,000 MWh of electricity annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 66,000 tonnes per year.

“Today, we do more than break ground on a state-of-the-art solar facility—we celebrate a vital step toward our national energy aspirations under the National Renewable Energy Program,” said Energy Undersecretary Mylene C. Capongcol. “This project contributes meaningfully to our goal of increasing the renewable energy share in our power mix to 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040.”

Awarded under the Green Energy Auction Program 2 (GEA-2), Phase 1 of the project will contribute 40 MWAC and is scheduled for completion by 31 December 2026.

The DOE highlighted the wide-reaching benefits of the project, including reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels, lower greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced energy security, job creation, and infrastructure development in the host municipality of Tantangan.

What are your thoughts on the role of utility-scale solar in Mindanao’s energy transition? Join the discussion.

Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join our Viber community for more updates.