TAGUIG CITY – The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued the Implementing Guidelines for Executive Order (EO) No. 21, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which outlines the policy and administrative framework for offshore wind (OSW) development.
These guidelines, developed after extensive consultations with various stakeholders, provide direction to permitting agencies involved in different stages of OSW projects for efficient and successful implementation.
The Implementing Guidelines require permitting agencies to identify and submit a comprehensive list of necessary permits and clearances to the DOE.
This includes documentation of all requirements, fees, and procedures, along with a detailed process flow diagram, by June 18, 2023. Subsequently, the DOE will integrate these identified processes into the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) system.
This integration will enable all permitting agencies, including Local Government Units (LGUs), to use the EVOSS system for processing applications from OSW developers.
Permitting agencies encompass several governmental bodies such as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Quarantine, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), National Power Corporation (NPC), National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM), and concerned LGUs.
Moreover, permitting agencies are required to nominate EVOSS focal persons who can serve as resource persons during EVOSS Steering Committee Meetings. The nomination process should be completed by the June 18, 2023 deadline through the DOE Investment Promotions Office (DOE-IPO), which acts as the EVOSS Steering Committee Secretariat.
EO 21 was issued to expedite the deployment of OSW projects in the Philippines by establishing a clear and streamlined policy and administrative framework. This framework aims to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles, facilitate efficient permitting processes, and attract greater investment in OSW projects. The goal is to increase the country’s renewable energy capacity from the current 22% to 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040.
The Philippines Offshore Wind Roadmap, launched last year, highlights the country’s significant OSW resources estimated at 178 GW. To date, the DOE has already awarded 65 OSW Contracts, representing a total potential capacity of 51.228 GW, which is sufficient to meet the country’s future electricity demand. (ai/mtvn)
