The Department of Energy (DOE) is moving ahead with a 230-megawatt Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Special Auction Round under the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP), with supplier registration set to open on May 25, 2026.

The development follows the issuance of the Green Energy Auction Reserve (GEAR) Price by the Energy Regulatory Commission on May 22, which establishes the ceiling bid price for the auction and effectively activates the procurement cycle for WTE capacity.

The auction covers thermal combustion WTE projects with delivery scheduled between September 1, 2028 and March 31, 2029, positioning the round as part of the government’s medium-term pipeline for alternative baseload and waste-to-energy integration.

Qualified supplier registration will run until June 16, after which the DOE will proceed with bidder evaluation and qualification. The list of qualified bidders is scheduled for posting on July 13, followed by a pre-bid conference on July 21. The auction proper is set for August 7, 2026.

Bid validation and post-auction verification will continue through August, with the Notice of Award targeted for August 26. Post-auction documentary submissions are scheduled to extend into September, while final evaluation and issuance of Certificates of Award are expected between October 13 and October 15, 2026.

The DOE said the initiative supports the development of infrastructure that converts residual municipal waste into electricity, aimed at reducing landfill dependence, lowering emissions from waste decomposition, and recovering usable energy from non-recyclable waste streams.

It added that the program reinforces “transparent and efficient procurement of environmentally sound WTE technologies consistent with applicable environmental regulations, emissions standards, and solid waste management policies.”

With WTE now entering a structured auction cycle, will this 230-MW round finally unlock bankable waste-to-energy projects in the Philippines—or will feedstock, permitting, and execution risks continue to constrain deployment?

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