ib vogt German renewable energy developer Luca has begun construction of its 99 MWp Luca solar project in Ajuy, Iloilo, Philippines. The project will incorporate energy storage into the facility, which is scheduled to begin commercial operations in the second quarter of 2027. The project strengthens the company’s presence in the Philippine energy market and is part of the group of developments supported by the country’s Green Energy Auction program.
The Luca solar project will integrate BESS storage
Specifically, the plant will have 99 MWp of photovoltaic solar capacity and will feature a battery energy storage system (BESS). According to previously released information on project funding, the battery system will have a capacity of 4 MW/16 MWh the development also has a 4.5 billion Philippine peso line of financing granted by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.
When it becomes operational, the Luca solar plant will be able to generate more than 160 GWh of electricity per year the integration of the BESS will allow for more flexible management of the energy produced and will contribute to improving the reliability of the Visayas electricity grid. Storage will be especially important for managing photovoltaic generation during periods of reduced solar radiation, facilitating more stable management of the energy delivered to the grid.
The plant will be connected to the Visayas electricity grid
The project brings together facilities awarded in two different rounds of the Philippine Green Energy Auction. A solar installation of 60 MWac it was awarded during the second auction of green energy, known as GEA-2. Subsequently, an additional installation of 20 MWac with battery storage it obtained capacity through the GEA-4 round.
The electricity produced will be evacuated through the Barotac Viejo substation 138 kilovoltios, belonging to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, this infrastructure will allow the incorporation of new renewable generation into the Visayas electrical system, where growing demand increases the need for more diversified supply sources and new generation capacity.
ib vogt expands its renewable portfolio in the Philippines
The Iloilo project is also part of ib vogt’s growth strategy in the Philippines, the company expects to reach around 500 MW of operational and under-construction capacity in the country by the end of 2026 furthermore, the Philippines has also become the company’s priority market in Southeast Asia, where it maintains a local portfolio of projects under development exceeding 1 GWp David Ludwig, CEO of ib vogt APAC, highlighted the importance that the Philippine market will have within the company’s expansion plans.
We will continue building in a Philippine electricity market that needs this supply.
David Ludwig
The construction will generate hundreds of jobs
The construction of the Luca solar plant will also have an impact on the economic activity of Ajuy, during the construction phase, hundreds of jobs are expected to be created, while the operation of the facility will subsequently require skilled personnel. The mayor of Ajuy, Loida Espinosa, stated that the project will bring:
employment, economic activity, investment, and other benefits.
Loida Espinosa
to both Barangay Luca and the municipality.
Marissa P. Cerezo, director of the Renewable Energy Management Office of the Philippine Department of Energy, also highlighted the need to prepare the electrical system for sustained consumption growth. According to Cerezo, energy demand will continue to increase as the Philippine economy advances, so the country will need a sufficient, reliable, resilient, diversified, and progressively more sustainable electrical system.
Likewise, the combination of solar energy and battery storage this reflects a growing trend in the development of new renewable energy projects, these types of installations allow for the addition of new generation capacity while simultaneously providing flexibility to the grid to better manage variations in electricity production and supply.
Source: Power Philippines
Photo: Shutterstock
