Next GEA to include integrated renewable energy, storage system

Department of Energy facade from DOE / FILE

MANILA — The Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday announced that it will conduct the fourth round of Green Energy Auction (GEA-4) in the last quarter of the year.

The DOE said the GEA-4 will cover an integrated renewable energy and energy storage system (IRESS), a comprehensive energy solution combining RE technology and energy storage technologies like batteries, flywheel or pumped storage hydropower systems.

“This integration allows renewable energy plants to optimize their operations by storing excess energy generated during peak production periods and utilizing it when needed, thereby reducing the required capacity from the grid,” it said.

The agency added an IRESS enhances the stability and reliability of the energy system, enabling a more efficient power supply.

Moreover, the DOE is also considering including liquefied natural gas (LNG) technologies in the next round of GEA.

It is currently studying the pricing, dispatch, contracts, energy, and capacity for LNG technologies.

A notice of auction (NOA) will soon be issued by DOE.

“In the last two years, the DOE has conducted two rounds of auction which generated a total of 5,306 megawatts of RE capacities committed to deliver power in 2024 to 2026. Additional capacities will be auctioned for the 3rd Auction Round within the third quarter this year,” DOE said.

GEA-3 covers non-Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) eligible RE facilities such as geothermal, impounding, and pumped-storage, as well as run-of-river hydro which is a FIT eligible technology.

DOE’s GEA program facilitates the contracting of clean energy supply to qualified customers through a competitive process.