DOE Issues New Green Energy Auction Program Guidelines

TAGUIG CITY – In pursuit of the energy transition goal of the government, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi signed the revised Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP) Guidelines on 3 November 2021.

“The GEAP is a new market development support program introduced by the DOE to promote Renewable Energy (RE) as one of the country's primary sources of energy through the transparent and competitive selection of RE facilities. This supports the government's goal of attaining energy security through the entry of new capacities in the grid.

The GEAP likewise assists the mandated participants of the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) in complying with their prescribed minimum RPS requirements,” Sec. Cusi explained.

The updated Guidelines adopt certain mechanisms under the feed-in-tariff, such as central dispatch, to be sold to through the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) as priority dispatch. GEAP also introduces an "Opt-In Mechanism," which would allow any Distribution Utility (DU) to procure portions of the capacity auctioned to allow the DUs to procure supply in a competitive environment and, at the same time, comply with its minimum RPS requirements.

“The implementation of GEAP is seen to encourage greater private sector participation in the generation sector through RE. With GEAP, the country's RE program will be met particularly in targeting attainment of 35% RE share in the generation mix by 2030,” Sec. Cusi added.

The new GEAP guidelines were published in Daily Tribune and Business World on 19 November 2021, and shall take effect 15 days after.

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