Philippine Market Movers: An analysis of three high potential areas to accelerate the offshore wind market in the Philippines

The Philippines has a technical offshore wind potential of 178 GW, with the Department of Energy having awarded 92 Wind Energy Service Contracts totaling nearly 65 GW as of April 2024. To address a looming energy crisis caused by the expected depletion of the Malampaya natural gas field by 2030, the report identifies three priority zones—Manila Bay, Tayabas Bay, and Guimaras—that are suitable for initial fixed-bottom installations due to wind speeds exceeding 7 m/s and shallow waters. These zones are intended to serve as catalysts for the long-term market, which must eventually transition to floating foundation turbines since 90 percent of the country's technical potential is located in deep waters.

• The Philippines possesses significant offshore wind resources, with a total technical potential estimated at 178 GW and a coastline exceeding 36,000 kilometers.
• The Department of Energy (DOE) has demonstrated commitment to the sector by awarding 92 offshore Wind Energy Service Contracts (WESC) as of April 2024, representing nearly 65 GW of potential capacity.
• The report identifies Manila Bay, Tayabas Bay, and Guimaras as high-potential zones for the first wave of projects (operational by 2035) because they feature wind speeds above 7 m/s, shallow waters for fixed-bottom turbines, and proximity to load centers in western Visayas and southern Luzon.
• While initial projects will focus on fixed-bottom installations, the long-term Philippine market must shift to floating foundation turbines because 90 percent of the country's technical offshore wind potential is in deep waters.
• The urgency for large-scale renewable energy is driven by the expected depletion of the Malampaya natural gas field by the end of the decade, which currently provides approximately 20 percent of the nation's electricity.

APA

RMI (2024). Philippine Market Movers: An analysis of three high potential areas to accelerate the offshore wind market in the Philippines. https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-to-accelerate-offshore-wind-market-in-the-philippines/

Chicago

RMI. Philippine Market Movers: An analysis of three high potential areas to accelerate the offshore wind market in the Philippines. 2024. https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-to-accelerate-offshore-wind-market-in-the-philippines/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Philippine Market Movers: An analysis of three high potential areas to accelerate the offshore wind market in the Philippines |date=17 April 2024 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-to-accelerate-offshore-wind-market-in-the-philippines/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2024philippine, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Philippine Market Movers: An analysis of three high potential areas to accelerate the offshore wind market in the Philippines}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2024}, month = apr, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-to-accelerate-offshore-wind-market-in-the-philippines/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }