The Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing ahead with a special green energy auction for waste-to-energy (WTE) projects, offering 230 megawatts of capacity to support the country’s clean energy and waste management goals.
The auction, set for Aug. 7, 2026, aims to accelerate the development of facilities that can convert residual and non-recyclable waste into electricity while helping reduce pressure on landfills.
The initiative was launched through the issuance of the Notice of Auction and Terms of Reference on Dec. 30, 2025. Project delivery is scheduled between September 2028 and March 2029.
The DOE said preparations are underway following the Energy Regulatory Commission’s issuance of the Green Energy Auction Reserve (GEAR) Price on May 22, 2026. Registration and pre-bid activities are ongoing ahead of the auction proper.
According to the department, the waste-to-energy auction is designed to attract investments in technologies that can help divert residual waste from disposal sites, promote resource recovery, and generate additional power supply from materials that can no longer be recycled.
The DOE said the program also supports the government’s broader environmental goals by helping mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and advancing more sustainable waste management practices.
It emphasized that participating projects must comply with all applicable environmental regulations and emissions standards to ensure that power generation is carried out safely and responsibly.
Officials said the program forms part of continuing efforts to diversify the country’s energy mix, strengthen energy security, and expand cleaner and more sustainable sources of power generation.
