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ib vogt breaks ground on 99-MWp Iloilo solar project. * September 10, 2026 * 0 German renewable energy developer ib vogt has broken ground on the 99-megawatt-peak (MWp) Luca Solar Power Plant in Ajuy, Iloilo, advancing another Green Energy Auction-backed project in the Visayas as the company ramps up its Philippine renewable energy portfolio. The project combines 99 MWp of solar photovoltaic capacity with a battery energy storage system (BESS). Earlier financing disclosures identified the storage component at 4 MW/16 MWh, with the project backed by a PHP 4.5-billion financing facility from Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Once operational, Luca is expected to generate more than 160 GWh of electricity annually, according to project financing disclosures, with commercial operations targeted for the second quarter of 2027. The integrated BESS is intended to improve the project's dispatchability and support grid reliability in the Visayas. The project consists of a 60-MWac solar facility awarded under the second Green Energy Auction (GEA-2) and a 20-MWac solar facility with battery storage awarded under GEA-4. It will connect to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines' 138-kilovolt Barotac Viejo Substation. David Ludwig, CEO of ib vogt APAC, said the project marks a significant step in the company's expansion in the country. "We will keep building into a Philippine power market that needs the supply," he said. ib vogt said Luca is part of its broader push to reach around 500 MW of capacity in operation and construction in the Philippines by end-2026. The company has also said the Philippines is its priority market in Southeast Asia, with a local development pipeline exceeding 1 GWp. The project is also expected to generate hundreds of construction jobs, followed by skilled employment during its operating life. Ajuy Mayor Loida Espinosa said the development would bring "employment, economic activity, investments, and other benefits" to Barangay Luca and the municipality. "Our energy demand will continue to grow as our economy expands, so we need an energy system that is not just sufficient, but also reliable, resilient, diversified, and increasingly sustainable," DOE Renewable Energy Management Bureau Director IV Marissa P. Cerezo said. With solar capacity increasingly being paired with storage, Luca underscores the shift toward renewable projects that can provide not only additional generation but greater flexibility for the grid. What do you think of ib vogt's growing solar-plus-storage footprint in the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas where reliability and additional supply remain key concerns? Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn, or join its Viber community for news and updates on the Philippine energy sector.

ib vogt eyes 500-MW hybrid portfolio in Philippines by end-2026. * July 24, 2026 * 0 International solar developer ib vogt plans to have more than 500 megawatts (MW) of hybrid solar-and-battery projects in operation and under construction across the Philippines by the end of 2026, as it accelerates its local expansion following the energization of its Tantangan Solar Power Plant in Mindanao. The company announced the target as the 99-megawatt-peak (MWp) Tantangan Solar Power Plant in South Cotabato began commercial electricity generation less than a year after its groundbreaking, marking ib vogt's first solar-and-storage hybrid project in Southeast Asia. "Energising this project is a special milestone for ib vogt: it is our first solar-and storage hybrid in Southeast Asia and the first of more than 500 MW of hybrid capacity we expect to have in operation and construction across the Philippines by the end of 2026," said David Ludwig, Chief Executive Officer of ib vogt APAC. The Tantangan power plant project also became the first to draw financing from the USD 80-million Development and Construction Facility established by Singapore-based Pentagreen Capital and British International Investment (BII). The mezzanine facility complements senior debt from commercial lenders, providing subordinated financing to help developers complete renewable energy projects. "This type of financing can help bridge the funding gap for high-quality developers in ASEAN while accelerating the expansion of clean energy capacity across the region," Pentagreen Capital Chief Executive Officer Marat Zapparov said. British International Investment (BII) said the project demonstrates how development finance can mobilize private capital for renewable energy infrastructure in Southeast Asia. "The energisation of Tantangan is an important milestone that demonstrates ib vogt's ability to deliver high-quality renewable energy projects at scale," said Rohit Anand, Managing Director and Head of Asia Infrastructure and Climate Direct Investments at BII. Once fully operational, the 99-MWp facility is expected to generate more than 150 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to supply over 82,000 households, while integrating battery storage to improve the reliability of renewable power in Mindanao, where electricity demand continues to outpace supply. The Tantangan Solar Power Plant is one of several utility-scale developments ib vogt is advancing in the Philippines. In June, the company secured PHP 4.525 billion in financing from Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) for the 99-MWp Luca Solar Power Project in Ajuy, Iloilo. The project will combine solar generation with a 4-MW/16-MWh battery energy storage system and is targeted for commissioning in the second quarter of 2027. Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join its Viber community for more news and updates on the Philippine energy sector.

DESNZ grants DCO for 150MW Dean Moor solar project in Cumbria. The project will be developed by FVS Dean Moor Ltd, a joint venture between Leeds-based solar developer Firma Energy and the UK arm of German solar developer ib vogt. JP Casey, Section Editor, Informa July 3, 2026 The government has now approved 29 NSIPs in the clean energy space since taking office. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has granted a development consent order (DCO) to Firma Energy and ib vogt's 150MW Dean Moor solar project, which is planned to be built between Gilgarran and Branthwaite in Cumbria. The project will be developed by FVS Dean Moor Ltd, a joint venture between Leeds-based solar developer Firma Energy and the UK arm of German solar developer ib vogt. The company has not provided a timescale for when it expects to complete construction work, but noted in the documentation accompanying the project application that it expects Dean Moor to operate for 40 years. "Dean Moor will make a meaningful contribution to the UK's clean energy transition, and we look forward to progressing to the next phase of delivery," said ib vogt head of UK and Nordics Daniel Kiremidjian "We are driving further and faster for clean homegrown power that we control to protect the British people and bring down bills for good," added energy minister Michael Shanks, who pointed to the need to secure "energy independence" as a key benefit of renewable energy projects such as Dean Moor. "It is crucial we learn the lessons of the conflict in the Middle East - solar is one of the cheapest forms of power available and is how we get off the rollercoaster of international fossil fuel markets and secure our own energy independence," said Shanks. Building a strong portfolio of domestic clean energy generation has been a priority for the current government, which has now approved 29 Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) in the clean energy space since taking office. Solar projects above 100MW in capcaity qualify as NSIPs. The Dean Moor project is the second solar NSIP to receive a DCO this week, following DESNZ's approval of the 320MW Peartree Hill project. The Peartree Hill project is the 15th solar NSIP to be awarded a DCO by the current government, and the award comes almost exactly one year after the country's first solar NSIP, Cleve Hill, entered commercial operation. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are often deployed to improve the resilience of renewable power projects - RWE secured a DCO for a co-located solar-plus-storage NSIP just last year - but the BESS component of the Dean Moor project was removed during the consultation phase of development. In 2025, members of the public raised safety concerns about the BESS during the statutory consultation process, and while the project's documentation expresses confidence that "the issue of safety could have been addressed through agreement with Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS)", the developers ultimately decided to remove the BESS component. Section Editor, Informa Your one-stop source for solar power news in the UK Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the solar industry Google Preferred Source Set Solar Power Portal as your 'preferred source' to get quicker access to the news you value.