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Operations begin at solar megaprojects in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia
15/9/2026
News
Commercial operations of 600MWac has begun at a huge solar farm with battery storage across Nueva Ecija and Bulacan on Luzon, the Philippines. The contract is part of a power supply agreement with utility Meralco (Manila Electric Company). A further 250MWac is expected to be released as part of the same agreement before the end of the year.
The announcement follows grid approval for 950MWac of solar and 825MW of battery storage in August, and the energisation of 1,373MWac of solar and 825MW/3,300MWh of battery storage in July. The site includes transformers and connection to the 500kV Nagsaag-San Jose transmission line.
The first phase is expected to complete in 2026. Including a second phase, the project aims to generate 3,500MWp of solar power complemented by a 4,500MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), which the company says will make the site the world’s largest.
‘This is a significant step toward the future of energy in the Philippines. By combining solar power with battery storage at an unprecedented scale, we’re demonstrating how renewable energy can strengthen energy security, support economic growth and build a more resilient and sustainable power system for our country,’ said Manuel V Pangilinan, Chairman of Meralco and Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN).
Terra Solar Philippines (MTerra Solar) is a joint venture between SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC), a subsidiary of Solar Philippines, the largest solar energy provider in the Philippines, and global investment firm Actis.
In Saudi Arabia, a $1.8bn solar-plus-battery energy facility for a national megaproject has begun commercial operation. The facility consists of an off-grid 340MWac solar PV farm plus 1,227MWh of battery storage to deliver up to 760,000MWh for the airport, hotels, logistics hub, electric vehicle charging and staff village of the Red Sea tourist development in Saudi Arabia’s north-western Tabuk province.
The project company, Marafiq Red Sea for Energy Company, consists of desalination company Acwa, SPIC Huanghe Hydropower and Saudi Tabreed. It provides renewable power, potable water, wastewater treatment, district cooling and waste management.
The utility system was engineered and constructed by SEPCO III (the Shandong Tiejun consortium) as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor and is operated and maintained by Acwa Operations under a long-term operation and maintenance agreement aligned with a 25-year concession period.
The scope of the project also covers the construction of three seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants, a waste management centre and a sewage treatment plant (STP) to treat 16,000m3/d of waste in new wetland habitats and supplementing irrigation water for a landscape nursery and Shura Links golf course. Additionally, district cooling totalling 32,500 refrigeration tonnes (RT) now serves the hotels and the airport.
Mohammad Abunayyan, Founder and Chairman of Acwa, said: ‘As the world’s largest integrated off-grid utilities system, and the first of its kind at this scale, the project sets a new global benchmark for sustainable development. By bringing renewable energy, water and environmental services together within one integrated platform, the project demonstrates that infrastructure at this scale can enable economic growth while protecting natural resources and the environment for future generations. It also provides a world-leading model for delivering utilities as one cohesive system, enhancing efficiency, resilience and long-term reliability.’
