Acciona’s solar project in Cebu accelerated with BoI ‘green lane’

ACCIONA Energía, a subsidiary of Spanish infrastructure company Acciona, said its 150-megawatt (MW) solar project in Daanbantayan, Cebu has been granted “green lane” status by the Board of Investments (BoI).

“The green lane privilege is granted to investments considered strategic for the country, accelerating the permitting process with government agencies and accelerating and streamlining the development and construction of the project,” Acciona Energía said in a statement on Thursday.

The solar energy project involves an investment of approximately $130 million (€7.5 billion).

The initial power output from the solar power plant will be distributed through private power purchase agreements with Cebu II Electric Cooperative, Inc.

According to the company, all excess energy will be sold at the annual green energy auction organized by the Ministry of Energy.

“In line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), this project supports the government’s goals of increasing renewable energy capacity, ensuring energy security and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” Acciona Energía said.

Projects in the pipeline include the 156 MW wind farm in Pantabangan municipality and the 100 MW Kalayaan 2 wind farm in Laguna province.

The company has been operating in the Philippines through its water and infrastructure divisions since 2016 and has been involved in flagship projects such as the Putatan II and Laguna Lake water treatment plants and the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway.

Implementing Decree (EO) No. 18, approved in 2023, has created green lanes within government agencies that will speed up the process of granting permits and licenses through the One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSACSI).

OSACSI issues approval letters to the Ministry of Energy, national government agencies and local government units, which designate projects as strategic, which in turn will ensure that processing times are within the periods prescribed in EO 18. – Shelden Joy Talavera