The Department of Energy (DOE) is set to release the terms of reference for its sixth Green Energy Auction (GEA-6) in the coming weeks, paving the way for the auction of 160 megawatts (MW) of biomass projects that will add more renewable baseload capacity to the country’s power supply.

Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevarra said on Monday that GEA-6 will offer 40 MW of biomass cogeneration capacity and 120 MW of standalone biomass projects, with winning developers expected to deliver power between July 2027 and December 2030.

“This is one of only two renewable energy technologies that can be used for baseload power. Our target is 40 megawatts for cogeneration and 120 megawatts for standalone projects.

The delivery dates for these projects are from July 2027 to December 2030. We are close to releasing the terms of reference for GEA-6,” Guevarra told reporters.

Biomass is one of only two renewable energy technologies capable of providing round-the-clock baseload power, alongside geothermal, making it a key component of the government’s strategy to expand renewable energy without compromising grid reliability.

The  GEA program, launched in June 2022, was designed to accelerate the clean energy integration into the national energy mix.

Under the Philippine Energy Plan, the country targets a 35 percent share of renewable energy by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050, but remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels to meet near-term demand.