The country will need around 8,000 megawatts (MW) of additional energy capacity by 2028, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said.
Lotilla is hopeful that the energy projects in development will “move faster” as some have been committed to coming online by 2028.
Of the 8,000 MW, 43% or 3,440 MW will come from renewable energy (RE) sources, while the balance will come from natural gas and coal.
The energy chief noted that peak demand is expected to hit 25,000 MW by that year, and in order to meet that demand, additional capacity must be made available.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is currently looking at proposals for converting coal-fired power plants for co-firing with ammonia or other new technologies. Lotilla added that they are also looking at combining RE and batteries.
Meanwhile, Lotilla said that the transmission sector must be able to accommodate the upcoming RE sources, noting that RE is “site-specific.”
Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has earlier stressed the need to diversify the country’s source of power, adding that RE is a crucial part given that it’s indigenous and readily available, and “not affected by volatilities in the external market.”
Over 126 renewable energy contracts totaling 31,000 MW have been awarded since 2022, Marcos Jr. said in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).