In a significant stride towards sustainable energy, the Philippines recorded its highest ever installation of renewable energy capacity in 2024, reaching 794.34 megawatts (MW). The Department of Energy (DOE) announced this achievement, highlighting a substantial increase from the previous years’ total of 759.82 MW installed between 2021 and 2023. The year 2021 saw an installation of 230.10 MW, which rose to 328.18 MW in 2022, before dropping to 201.54 MW in 2023.
Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla praised the surge in renewable energy capacity as a clear indicator of the success of the government’s policies and the dedication of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration to fostering a self-sufficient energy future. The DOE credits the Marcos administration’s pro-investment policies for drawing substantial private sector involvement, which has been crucial in speeding up the nation’s shift to cleaner energy sources.
The DOE also reported that the Net-Metering Program contributed 141 MW from 2015 to 2024, while own-use renewable energy projects added another 252 MW from 2009 to 2024. These additions have played a key role in enhancing the reliability and resilience of the national grid, ensuring a more stable and secure energy supply for the Filipino populace.
The demand for renewable energy has been further bolstered by the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), which increased the mandatory renewable energy requirement for utility companies from 1 percent to 2.5 percent starting in 2023. Additionally, the DOE noted that falling costs of renewable energy technologies, especially solar panels, have made renewable energy more competitive against traditional fossil fuels.
The DOE is committed to overseeing the integration of these new capacities into the grid through careful monitoring of critical transmission line projects. Secretary Lotilla expressed optimism about the future, stating that with continued collaboration, strategic investments, and supportive policies, the Philippines is on track to meet its ambitious targets of increasing the renewable energy share in the power generation mix to 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.