UAE and Philippines Sign Deal for 1GW Renewable Energy Projects

Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy firm, has entered the Philippines market, signing agreements to develop 1 GW of clean energy projects, expanding its portfolio in Southeast Asia.

The agreements with the Philippines Department of Energy and the Board of Investments focus on solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a combined capacity of up to 1 GW by 2030. This initiative supports the Philippines Energy Transition Program, which aims for 35 percent renewable energy in power generation by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, and Raphael P.M. Lotilla, Secretary of Energy of the Republic of the Philippines. The Implementation Agreement was signed by Undersecretary Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara of the Department of Energy and Masdar’s CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, while the MoU was exchanged between Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver, the Philippines’ Ambassador to the UAE, and Masdar’s CEO.

The agreements operationalise the Energy Transition Cooperation MoU signed in November 2024 during Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s working visit to the UAE, which identified renewable energy as a key area for collaboration.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber highlighted the partnership as a new chapter in the UAE-Philippines relationship, emphasising how the UAE’s renewable energy expertise combined with the Philippines’ natural resources would create jobs, drive low-carbon socio-economic progress, and expand global renewable energy capacity. Raphael P.M. Lotilla, the Philippines Secretary of Energy, underscored Masdar’s leadership in delivering utility-scale renewable energy solutions, noting that the collaboration would significantly advance the country’s clean energy goals while enhancing energy security and fostering sustainable economic growth.

Ceferino S. Rodolfo, Undersecretary at the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry and Managing Head of the Board of Investments, expressed pride in strengthening bilateral relations, which had gained momentum since President Marcos Jr.'s UAE visit. Rodolfo emphasised the partnership’s alignment with the Philippines’ strategy to become a sustainable hub for manufacturing and services in Southeast Asia, particularly within the Luzon Economic Corridor, which includes Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas.

Masdar’s CEO, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, described the agreement as a significant expansion of Masdar’s activities in Southeast Asia, a critical market in its strategy to achieve a renewable energy capacity of 100GW by 2030. Masdar’s existing projects in the region, including the 145MW Cirata Floating Solar PV plant in Indonesia and its investment in geothermal energy in collaboration with Pertamina Geothermal Energy, demonstrate its commitment to advancing clean energy solutions. The company has also partnered with Malaysia on a 10GW clean energy initiative and is recognised as a key enabler of the UAE’s sustainability vision, with a growing portfolio of projects in over 40 countries.

This landmark entry into the Philippines is expected to contribute significantly to the country’s energy transition and underscores Masdar’s expanding influence in driving sustainable development in Southeast Asia.