DOE to bid out 160-MW biomass projects
The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking bids for a new round of green power auction focused on biomass technology, offering 160 megawatts (MW) of capacity.
Based on its notice for the sixth round of the green energy auction, or GEA-6, a total of 120 MW will be available for stand-alone facilities, while 40 MW will be set aside for cogeneration.
The delivery date of these capacities is between July 2027 and December 2030.
In a media briefing, Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara said the agency expects the Energy Regulatory Commission to release the green energy auction reserve price, or the maximum allowable bid ceiling per kilowatt-hour, by Oct. 1.
“The auction proper will be conducted in the fourth quarter of 2026,” she said.
The DOE said all biomass projects are eligible to join the bidding, provided that they are Renewable Portfolio Standards-eligible.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, biomass is a renewable energy source from plants and animals that can be burned directly for heat or converted to liquid and gaseous fuels. It said the technology is used for heating and electricity generation, as well as transportation fuel.
The DOE earlier said it has been in talks with biomass providers to discuss opportunities in advancing biomass generation. This, it added, was part of the government’s efforts to boost the local energy mix.
Aside from this round of green power bidding, the agency is also pushing for a special auction for waste-to-energy (WTE) technology. A total of 11 groups were qualified to participate in this activity, the agency said.
WTE is the process of converting nonrecyclable waste into electricity or fuel.
The government has been enticing more investments in the renewable energy space as it hopes to increase its share in the electricity generation mix from the current 25 percent to 35 percent by 2030.
