THE Department of Energy (DoE) said an Executive Order (EO) calling for streamlined approval of permits for offshore wind (OSW) projects will likely be implemented via its current system for expedited processing of applications, known as the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS).
Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said in a statement that EO 21 will be operationalized via EVOSS, promising another avenue for substantial investment to enter the Philippines.
“With heightened investor interest in energy projects, especially in renewable energy, it is crucial to have a clear framework that would speed up the development of OSW and speed up approvals of necessary permits,” he said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed EO 21 last week, calling for a draft framework to fast-track the rollout of OSW projects
“We will work together with the concerned government agencies, local government units, and the transmission concessionaire to implement the President’s directive,” Mr. Lotilla said.
The EO 21 also required the Department of the Interior and Local Government to submit a complete list of permits required by local government units.
To date, the DoE has awarded 63 OSW contracts with a combined potential capacity of 49.93 gigawatts (GW).
Under the Philippine Offshore Wind Roadmap, the Philippines has an estimated potential capacity of 178 GW OSW resources.
The DoE said OSW resources will help increase the share of renewables in the Philippine energy mix to 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
