The Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement of a dedicated green energy auction (GEA) for offshore wind projects next year has serious industry players excitedly charging ahead like surfers eyeing that perfect swell into the deep sea—but are we ready to catch the big wave on these uncharted waters, or will we dip our toes in the shallow end?
The rising titans of the offshore wind industry know exactly what they’re after—they are laser-focused on taking that plunge for billion-dollar investments to anchor themselves at the heart of the Philippines’ bold energy transition goal.
The big question is: how do we turn these fancy project blueprints into tangible gigawatt-producing wind farms without getting blown off course?
Offshore wind: Policy & regulations
The newly-released study from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) on "The Philippines Offshore Wind Supply Chain" isn’t just prescriptive and revealing — it’s an unflinching battle plan, outlining 15 critical policy and regulatory fixes that must be tackled head-on to turn targeted projects into actual gigawatt-installations.
During the study’s presentation, GWEC Philippines Country Manager Ann Margret Francisco made it crystal clear: that to hit the government’s ambitious 2028 offshore wind generation target, “we need the right environment, the right policies, the right frameworks, a solid supply chain, and a robust offtake (power supply agreement) mechanism.”
She acknowledged that there’s still a heated debate over what the industry can truly solidify by 2028—whether it’s construction, the first turbine on water, or actual kilowatt-hours of electricity generation—but the momentum is undeniable. The offshore wind sector is already gaining ground, rallying key players from government to financial institutions, industry groups, and embassies to push for policies that will make these projects a reality.
Francisco cited that “the Philippines is off to a good start with the government showing a strong political will in developing its offshore wind market.” But she didn’t sugarcoat the challenges, emphasizing that “for the Philippines to fully capitalize on these offshore wind opportunities, the government needs to refine existing policies and scale up its local supply chain.”
The GWEC’s supply chain-underpinned study cuts through the noise with 15 essential policy fixes that had been broken down into four sub-categories, starting with the heavy lifting of crafting a clear regulatory framework and streamlining permitting. This tackles five core issues: building a realistic, long-term offshore wind pipeline; securing transmission capacity linked to auction awards; ensuring policy continuity through changing administrations; establishing an Inter-Ministerial Task Force for Offshore Wind; and setting competitive GEAR (green energy auction reserve) prices— all while keeping consumer protection front and center.
Next up on the roll is a deep dive into industry incentives and risk mitigation – and these are fleshed out into three key concerns: promoting retail electricity options for supply chain manufacturers, designating offshore wind projects as ‘infrastructure projects of national importance’; and unlocking export incentives for supply chain companies while ensuring they serve the domestic market.
Third on the industry’s policy wish list is a purposeful engagement in workforce development and capacity building - segregated into five critical actions: leveraging the Department of Science and Technology’s Balik Scientist Program as an immediate solution to tap Filipino talent for the offshore wind sector; creating long-term strategies to lure skilled workers back to the country; upskilling local talent to meet the industry's specific needs; boosting the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) institutional capacity; and enhancing the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre’s (PITC) expertise to promote offshore wind and its growing supply chain.
At the heart of reskilling and upskilling for green jobs in offshore wind, the study highlights the Norwegian Training Initiative in Manila as a transformative force —pioneering a program that will equip Filipino seafarers with the specialized skills needed to power the offshore wind industry forward.
According to GWEC, a powerful partnership is being firmed up between the Norwegian Training Center (NTC) in Manila and the Norwegian Shipowners Association (NSA) in Oslo; “to ensure that the Philippines will be able to produce the right personnel needed for offshore wind deployment.”
The fourth and final focus zeroes in on mapping the industry’s competitive advantage, tackling two paramount hurdles: first, crafting targeted pitches to draw more supply chain players—ranging from steel production and shipbuilding to the extraction of critical minerals like those needed for transmission cables; and second, urging the Department of Trade and Industry’s Investment Promotion Group (DTI-IPG) to identify other Philippine industries with transferrable skills that could fuel the offshore wind industry’s growth.
Simply put, the Philippines’ ambitious offshore wind dream is no longer a distant vision—it’s almost certain that it will be making landfall. Now, the power to turn this goal into tangible megawatts and gigawatts rests squarely in the hands of key stakeholders, each holding a crucial piece to ensure that billion-dollar investments flow in and the industry takes solid root.
Tidbit: With two ERC Commissioners retiring by July 2025, the industry is already buzzing with speculation about forthcoming big moves. Two early prospective candidates have emerged—one is a current DOE official, and the other is a lawyer-executive entrenched in spot trading of electricity. Place your bets on who’s on deck for the next regulatory spotlight.