Page 22 - bne IntelliNews monthly magazine April 2025

22 I Companies & Markets bne April 2025
was rated the third most polluted city in the world, with a PM2.5 measurement exceeding WHO guidelines by over 10 times. Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, has made the most progress in reducing the volume of PM2.5 in the air over the past five years.
In the Caucasus, Armenia (34th) was found to have the dirtiest air, trailed by Azerbaijan (49th) and Georgia (75th). There has been comparatively little fluctuation in air quality in the three Caucasus states over the seven years that IQAir has produced its annual report.
IQAir is an air-quality technology company that bills itself as operating the “world’s largest free, real-time air-quality information platform.”
PM2.5 is defined as fine particulate aerosol particles measuring up to 2.5 microns in diameter. Common man-made sources of PM2.5 are vehicle exhaust, heavy industrial processes, power generation, agriculture, construction and coal and wood burning.
This article first appeared on Eurasianet.
Philippines launches fourth green energy
auction with expanded capacity
bno Jakarta bureau
The Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) has outlined the guidelines for the fourth green energy auction (GEA-4), targeting the addition of 9,378 MW of renewable energy capacity, Mercom India News reported. This round includes ground-mounted, rooftop, and floating solar, as well as onshore wind projects.
For the first time, the auction integrates renewable energy with energy storage (IRESS), allocating an extra 1,100 MW of solar capacity paired with battery storage. Successful bidders will secure 20-year supply contracts, beginning from their projects’ commercial operation dates. Capacity allocations will be distributed across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao between 2026 and 2029.
In 2026, 2,372 MW will be added, followed by 2,362 MW in 2027, 2,766 MW in 2028, and further expansions in 2029.
Solar capacity with storage will increase annually, reaching up to 150 MW by 2028.
New guidelines under the Green Energy Auction Programme (GEAP) include updated eligibility criteria and a revised pricing structure. Suppliers must possess a renewable energy service contract or an authorised certificate. Green energy tariffs will now be indexed per feed-in-tariff rules set by the Energy Regulatory Commission.
Only non-operational solar projects without provisional permits qualify for IRESS. These must meet technical stan- dards, including a 0.2 inverter ratio, 85% round-trip effi- ciency, and a four-hour storage duration. Registration begins after the Energy Regulatory Commission announces the reserve price. In 2023, the DOE awarded 3.43 GW in renewable energy projects, including a 610 MW floating solar contract.
Andreas Gucklhorn - Unsplash
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