Port readiness is emerging as a key bottleneck in the Philippines’ offshore wind rollout, with the Department of Energy (DOE) acknowledging uneven timelines, funding uncertainties, and delays across several priority ports needed to support large-scale projects.

Speaking on the sidelines of Energyear Philippines 2026, DOE Undersecretary Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said port development, alongside grid capacity, is now shaping how much offshore wind capacity the government can realistically offer in the near term. “That’s why we have to limit it to only 3.3 gigawatts,” he said, citing “the grid availability… and also the limitations of the port.”

Among the priority sites, Bacordo said the Port of Mercedes in Camarines Norte is one of the few with a clearer timetable. “The commitment from the PPA will be completed by the first quarter of 2027,” he said, adding that this would allow developers “to be also on track with their commitment to deliver power by 2028 to 2030.”

Other ports, however, face more uncertain paths. For the Port of Santa Clara in Batangas, Bacordo said the project is being pursued under a public-private partnership scheme, which affects its timeline. “They used the PPP mode,” he said. “So the completion of this will really depend on the completion of the feasibility study, the PPP mechanism and the participation of the private sector.” As a result, “they have not given a timeline as to when this port will be completed.” 

Bacordo also said the Port of Curimao in Ilocos Norte is unlikely to be completed within the current administration. “Definitely it will not be within this 2028, it will not be within this administration,” he said. He explained that the port is “not for fixed bottom of the wind” and faces “high capital cost,” adding that the government “cannot generate funds for that, for Curimao.”

Beyond these sites, the DOE is also studying other possible locations for future offshore wind support ports. Bacordo said these include “the south of Mindoro, in the Port of Sonolacao area,” which he described as a PPA port, as well as areas in Negros, where “we are looking at the Port of San Carlos.” He stressed that these remain at an early planning stage.

The port constraints are directly affecting offshore wind planning. Bacordo said the Philippines currently has “92 service contracts with a potential of about 67, 68 gigawatts,” but the DOE is offering only “3.3 gigawatts” in the initial offshore wind auction. “Why 3.3 gigawatts?” he said. “Because we are looking also at the grid availability and second, the port readiness.”

To address concerns from developers that may be excluded from the initial round, Bacordo said the DOE is already looking ahead to future auctions. “There’s no ready market for other offshore wind projects that will come online,” he said. “That’s why we need to have a succeeding green energy auction for offshore wind.”

Ultimately, Bacordo said the pace of offshore wind deployment will depend on how quickly supporting infrastructure can catch up. “That’s why we have to catch up with the grid and with the ports,” he said.

With offshore wind ambitions now closely tied to port and grid readiness, how quickly can infrastructure development realistically keep pace with the country’s renewable energy goals?

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