DOE, DENR agree to support offshore wind projects

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) entered into a deal that will fast-track the development of offshore wind energy projects and ensure that the first one will be energized before the Marcos administration ends in June 2028, according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

The memorandum of agreement (MOA) between DOE and DENR signed at the Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters in Makati City on Friday will allow offshore wind energy developers with service contracts to access offshore and auxiliary areas during the pre-development phase of their project.

Currently, renewable energy (RE) projects are required to secure various compliance certificates from DENR, such as foreshore lease agreements, forest land use agreements, and miscellaneous lease agreements, before proceeding with exploration and development.

“This MOA is a crucial step in realizing the goal of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to deliver the first kilowatt-hours from offshore wind projects by 2028,” DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla said in a statement Sunday.

“By streamlining the process for accessing critical areas, we are paving the way for a rapid and responsible rollout of offshore wind projects, which will contribute significantly to our clean energy transition.”

Despite expediting the process in giving access to the areas, the MOA will continue to ensure that environmental safeguards are upheld at every stage.

During the Renewable Energy Forum organized by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines and Aboitiz Power Corp. on the same day and venue of the MOA signing, Lotilla said RE stakeholders should expect more streamlining of processes to accelerate the development of RE projects.

Lotilla said he met with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last week and discussed possible solutions to address the slower system of permitting process in RE projects versus conventional energy projects.

He said the permitting process accounts for the significant period of delays in putting up RE facilities.

“We will pursue not the successive permitting or sequential processing, which accounts for the delay now. We will pursue to the fullest extent possible -- parallel processing. That means they expect that several agencies can proceed with their permitting processes without having to await the decision of other agencies,” he said.