Cheyenne Suarez

Energy dept eyes generating up to 400 MW via trash-burning plants

A worker collects garbage from the Marilao River in Bulacan, north of Manila, on March 18, 2017. 
Pure Earth, formerly known as the Blacksmith Institute, a non-governmental organisation that works to solve pollution problems in the developing world, named Marilao River as one of the 30 dirtiest places in the world in 2007. / AFP PHOTO / Noel CELIS

Article (news)

Arthur Fuentes

ABS-CBN News

<div> </div>MANILA — The government is looking to speed up its waste-to-energy (WTE) program following a renewed directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to convert mounting garbage into a productive resource. The move comes amid growing concerns over residual waste clogging drainage infrastructure and worsening flood risks across the capital and surrounding areas.  The Department of Energy said it recently resumed activities for the Special Auction Round for Waste-to-Energy under its Green Energy Auction Program to address the dual challenges of power generation and waste disposal.From 230 megawatts (MW), the government now eyes generating up to 400 MW from the program, revising terms to attract greater private investment.&quot;The President has underscored the need for a more integrated approach to addressing our waste challenges. Waste that can no longer be reused or recycled should not simply end up in landfills or waterways. Subject to strict environmental safeguards, appropriate residual waste can be converted into useful energy and contribute to our power supply,&quot; Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said.Metro Manila currently generates an estimated 9,000 metric tons of municipal solid waste daily, which the DOE estimates could support around 200 MW of WTE capacity. The formal auction is scheduled for October 13, 2026. Successful projects are expected to achieve mechanical completion by late 2028 and begin delivering electricity by the end of 2029.The department stressed that WTE will complement—not replace—the country&#x27;s broader solid waste management framework, emphasizing that environmental compliance remains a central requirement.&quot;We want these projects built, but we also want them built to the highest standards. WTE cannot solve one environmental problem by creating another. These facilities must meet strict environmental safeguards while providing a reliable way to manage residual waste and generate useful energy,&quot; Garin said.With proposals already approaching 400 MW, the government is rigorously evaluating technical, commercial, and environmental viability to ensure adequate and sustainable waste supply, the DOE said.&quot;We are seeing significant interest from developers, but our objective is not simply to award capacity. We want projects that are technically sound, environmentally compliant, supported by sustainable feedstock, commercially viable, and capable of delivering electricity to the grid,&quot; Secretary Garin said.

The move comes amid growing concerns over residual waste clogging drainage infrastructure and worsening flood risks across the capital and surrounding areas.

The move comes amid growing concerns over residual waste clogging drainage infrastructure and worsening flood risks across the capital and surrounding areas.