Posted on November 24, 2025
At the 2025 APAC Wind Energy Summit of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) last September, the Philippines made its strongest commitment yet to building a commercial offshore wind industry (OSW).
This month, a breakthrough Green Energy Auction Program Round 5 (GEA-5) confirms that the country’s national pipeline is set for release by the end of the year. Once in place, the Philippines positions itself as a rising force in Asia’s clean energy transition, consistent with the energy goals under the Marcos administration.
The Philippine Department of Energy (DoE) confirmed that GEA-5 is advancing on schedule. This is the country’s first competitive auction dedicated entirely to offshore wind, focused on 3.3 gigawatts of fixed-bottom capacity planned for delivery between 2028 and 2030. The auction represents a shift from exploration and early-stage contracting to a market-ready phase where long-term offtake and commercial viability come into play.
Fixed bottom vs. floating
This distinction matters. Over the past several years, the DOE has already awarded dozens of Wind Energy Service Contracts to developers, including BlueFloat Energy and Alternergy. These contracts grant the right to study and explore offshore wind areas, and they cover a combined capacity that reaches tens of gigawatts.
“By prioritizing fixed-bottom offshore wind for GEA-5, we are investing in a technology that is ready to deliver,” former DoE Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla told media at the announcement of the GEA-5 structures last June. Lotilla now heads the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Fixed-bottom technology sits at the center of GEA-5 because it is the most proven and financeable form of offshore wind available today. By anchoring the auction around a mature platform, the Department of Energy aims to move projects into construction sooner and deliver utility-scale clean power with fewer technical uncertainties. The strategy strengthens the country’s push for dependable renewable generation while supporting long-term energy security and climate goals.
Philippine Energy Secretary Sharon Garin at the SIEW 2025 Singapore-IRENA High Level Forum. She is confident of the Philippines’ energy goals up to 2028 and beyond. Photo for CleanTechnica by Raymond Tribdino.
At the recent Singapore International Energy Week, DoE Secretary Sharon Garin reiterated how offshore wind, fixed bottom in particular, puts the Philippines in a strong and credible position as it pushes forward its OSW projects. She, however, said that expecting to deliver power by 2028 is very ambitious. She nevertheless agrees that the country’s offshore wind sector policies and thrusts are now focused because of a widened auction base.
She added quite practically that service contracts do not guarantee a route to market. “They do not provide revenue certainty, grid allocation, or commercial commitments needed for financing. GEA-5 is the first mechanism designed to deliver those conditions and to move selected offshore wind projects toward construction and operation,” she told CleanTechnica in the sidelines of the SIEW 2025.
The DOE paired its auction announcement with an update on the national renewable energy and offshore wind pipeline. Officials reaffirmed that this long-term pipeline will be released before the end of 2025. It will map expected capacity additions, identify future auction rounds, and provide clarity on timing. Developers, investors, manufacturers, ports, training institutions, and vessel operators have been waiting for this visibility. The pipeline is expected to influence investment decisions for years to come.
EVOSS-compatible
To support this buildout, the government has introduced measures to tackle longstanding permitting and regulatory challenges. A new multi-agency guidebook published this year outlines every permit required from early resource assessment through decommissioning. It tracks processes across more than 25 national agencies and explains how the country’s Energy Virtual One Stop Shop (EVOSS) fits into the sequence. Developers have described it as the clearest navigational tool yet for the country’s permitting landscape.
The technical backdrop is significant. The Philippines has an estimated 178 gigawatts of offshore wind potential. Much of this resource sits in deep water, which places floating wind on the long-term horizon. For now, fixed-bottom technology will lead the first wave of deployment because it is commercially mature and easier to finance. This is also why the DOE has positioned GEA-5 around fixed-bottom foundations. The strategy reflects a phased approach. It prioritizes readiness and cost, then moves toward floating deployment once global supply chains and local infrastructure evolve.
Grid integration remains one of the most complex constraints. Multi-gigawatt offshore wind development requires coordinated transmission planning that has not yet been fully executed in the country. Environmental and social considerations add further complexity. Marine spatial planning, fishing grounds, biodiversity, and coastal community impacts will all shape the pace and location of development. Successful projects will depend on how thoroughly the government and developers address these concerns.
Back at the APAC Summit
Last September, the industry reaction to the initial announcement was very positive.
“You take incremental steps. You make the plan, you make the program, you make the gigawatts. This is amazing,” Michael Hannibal, Chair of the Global Wind Energy Council, said as he also emphasized that the Philippines is taking the right kind of structured steps by building the plan, the program, and the gigawatts in sequence. His view echoed a broader consensus at the event that the country is transitioning from ambition to implementation with growing credibility.
DOE Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara recently underscored that fixed-bottom offshore wind will anchor the first phase of development. Floating wind remains part of the national vision, but only when technology maturity, cost visibility, and infrastructure capacity make it viable at scale.
If the DOE delivers on the GEA-5 schedule and releases the national pipeline as planned, the Philippines could become one of the fastest advancing offshore wind markets in Asia. The combination of policy clarity, a defined procurement mechanism, and a transparent long-term roadmap has the potential to attract global capital and spark local industry growth. The benefits extend beyond power generation.
Offshore wind development could strengthen energy security, create high-skilled jobs, revive port and shipyard capacity, and support the country’s shift toward its renewable energy targets of 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.
