Luzon’s installed power capacity is projected to increase sixfold from 19,746 megawatts in 2022 to 120,824 MW by 2050.
The Department of Energy’s power development plan, clean energy scenario 2, indicates the increase will come from existing, committed and new build capacities.
The plan also states that battery energy storage systems needed for grid stability should increase from 72 MW to 13,418 MW by 2050, while 3,287 MW of existing coal plant capacity may be repurposed into other technologies.
CES-2 involves high offshore wind technology, nuclear power and coal repurposing.
The power development plan states that to meet Luzon’s projected electricity demand of 48,014 MW by 2050 under CES-2, 85,070 MW of new renewable energy capacity should be built, in addition to existing plants and committed projects.
“The renewable energy capacity must increase 19 times from its current capacity of 4,910 MW. These proposed additions include 23,877 MW solar, 57,087 MW wind, 3,170 MW hydro, 300 MW geothermal and 96 MW biomass projects,” the plan says.
The plan’s simulation resulted in an additional 6,216 MW of natural gas plant facilities, 3,900 MW of nuclear technology and 14,211 MW of battery energy storage system technology to support and stabilize the power system due to the increase in renewable energy technologies.
The plan says new build capacities for the CES-2 scenario would result in a diversified Luzon power generation mix of 8 percent natural gas plants, 9 percent nuclear technology and 74 percent renewable energy by 2050.
Meanwhile, gross generation from coal power plants is projected to decrease significantly, from 59 percent in 2023 to 8 percent by 2050.
The Department of Energy said it is actively advancing cleaner energy transition and decarbonization by embracing new power generation technologies.
The department also considers nuclear technology a viable, stable and emission-free energy option for the Philippines, noting its globally recognized diverse applications in the energy sector.
The DOE said that considering the Philippines’ abundant ocean and water resources, it is continuously exploring and conducting further research on ocean thermal conversion potential.
“Concurrently, the department is delving into the study of hydrogen-based technologies, exploring avenues such as co-firing and mechanisms linked to renewable energy,” it said.
