Table of Contents
The Department of Energy (DOE) has energized the first phase of the 99-megawatt-peak (MWp) Tantangan Solar Power Project in Sultan Kudarat, marking another milestone in the country’s renewable energy expansion and strengthening electricity supply in Mindanao.
The newly energized Phase 1 of the utility-scale solar facility delivers 74.5 MWp of capacity, enough to supply clean electricity to about 68,000 households. The project, developed by Apolaki Seven Inc. and German renewable energy firm ib vogt under the government’s Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP), is targeted for full completion in October.
Strengthening Energy Security
Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said the project supports the government’s goal of reducing the country’s dependence on imported energy sources.
“By bringing utility-scale solar generation to Mindanao, this plant strengthens the reliability and diversity of the island’s power supply. Amid the Middle East conflict, we are on a mission to reduce the Philippines’ dependence on imported sources and generate our own electricity,” Garin said.
She said projects like the Tantangan solar facility play a key role in improving the country’s energy security while accelerating the shift toward indigenous and cleaner energy sources.
The DOE said the project also demonstrates the government’s commitment to expanding renewable energy capacity while ensuring that economic opportunities reach communities outside major urban centers.
Completion Near
Awarded Solar Energy Operating Contract No. 2023-08-689 on Sept. 19, 2023 under the GEAP, the ground-mounted solar facility is now 97.3 percent complete and is being developed in two phases. Once completed, the project will have a total installed capacity of 99 MWp.
The solar plant will also be equipped with a battery energy storage system capable of delivering 4 megawatts of power and storing 16 megawatt-hours of energy. The system is designed to improve grid stability by storing excess solar generation and supplying electricity during periods of peak demand.
According to the DOE, the facility is expected to generate about 163 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually once fully operational while avoiding an estimated 113,950 metric tons of carbon emissions each year.
Public-Private Partnership
Garin credited Apolaki Seven and its parent company, Germany-based ib vogt GmbH, for responding to the government’s call for greater private sector participation in renewable energy development through the Green Energy Auction Program.
“Today, this project stands as proof that our program works. This is what happens when government creates the right policy environment and the private sector steps up with capital, vision and execution. This is how we scale the energy transition across our archipelago,” she said.
ib vogt specializes in developing and delivering utility-scale photovoltaic power plants worldwide and currently operates 22.5 MWp of solar capacity in the Philippines.
National Clean Energy Goals
Beyond expanding renewable energy generation, the DOE said the Tantangan Solar Power Project is expected to create jobs during both construction and operations, develop local technical expertise, stimulate economic activity, and reinforce Sultan Kudarat’s position as an emerging destination for renewable energy investments.
The project also supports the country’s broader clean energy agenda following the Philippines’ achievement of renewable energy accounting for more than 25 percent of the national power generation mix.
The government is targeting a renewable energy share of 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040, in line with the administration’s efforts to build a more self-reliant, secure, and sustainable energy sector.
With Phase 1 already delivering power to the grid and the remaining capacity expected to come online in October, the Tantangan Solar Power Project adds another major renewable energy asset to Mindanao’s growing power network while reinforcing the country’s long-term transition toward cleaner sources of electricity.
Source:
https://tribune.net.ph/2026/07/23/geap-backed-solar-plant-comes-online-in-mindanao
