DOE secures UK technical aid for renewable energy auctions
The Philippines and the United Kingdom have formalized a partnership to bolster the country’s renewable energy infrastructure, targeting technical gaps in offshore wind development and rural electrification.
The Department of Energy and the British Embassy in Manila signed a letter of intent on Monday, Dec. 22, to launch three technical assistance projects under the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK-PACT) Philippines Country Fund.
The initiative, which will run through March 2027, arrives as the Philippines moves to auction fixed-bottom offshore wind contracts to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.
A primary focus of the collaboration is the Fifth Green Energy Auction (GEA-5). British experts will assist the DOE in developing an evaluation framework for infrastructure plans submitted by bidders. This framework aims to standardize documentation and create rigorous criteria for assessing project feasibility and sequencing.
According to the DOE, this intervention is designed to ensure the auction process remains bankable and transparent, awarding contracts only to developers capable of timely and responsible execution.
Beyond large-scale wind farms, the partnership addresses the Philippines’ chronic power stability issues in remote regions. The second workstream involves creating a data framework for priority microgrid sites.
By improving the quality of site-specific data, the government intends to facilitate more disciplined procurement and ensure that technical requirements for microgrids are based on verified ground conditions. This is particularly critical for geographically isolated areas where commercial viability has historically been a barrier to private investment.
The third component of the UK-funded assistance involves the validation of marine spatial planning tools.
As the DOE seeks to accelerate offshore wind siting, clear spatial planning is essential to minimize conflicts with shipping lanes, fishing grounds, and marine protected areas. The DOE noted that refined mapping and planning methods would improve the overall quality of siting decisions, providing developers with greater regulatory certainty.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the partnership reflects an outcomes-driven approach to climate cooperation that strengthens institutional capacity.
By refining the frameworks that govern offshore wind and microgrids, the government aims to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy while maintaining long-term energy security.
Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara added that the workstreams will help the department sharpen its implementation discipline, particularly through clearer review criteria for multibillion-peso energy auctions.