Pangasinan solar project saved one year’s processing time due to green lane system, BoI says

THE green lane system of expedited permits saved a solar project in Pangasinan over a year in processing time, the Board of Investments (BoI) said.

The BoI issued the statement on Monday in conjunction with the start of construction of Spotlight Power, Inc.’s 49.9-megawatt Mabini Solar Power Project.

“Through the facilitation and oversight of the BoI One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSACSI), the project was able to secure key permits from separate National Government agencies on an expedited basis, resulting in significant time and cost savings,” it said.

“As a result, the project reached the groundbreaking stage within 11 months from pre-development, compared with the usual two-year timeline for similar undertakings,” it added.

Spotlight Power President Aris Tulalian said the green lane program “helped address regulatory bottlenecks and enabled the project to proceed on an accelerated timeline.”

The project, which will be built by China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd., is expected to contribute clean and reliable energy to the grid, support the reduction of carbon emissions, and generate employment opportunities.

It forms part of Zenith Renewables, Inc.’s portfolio of renewable energy (RE) initiatives.

“This project sends a strong signal to both local and foreign investors that the Philippines is serious about improving the ease of doing business and advancing high-impact, future-ready investments across the regions,” BoI Governor Marjorie O. Ramos-Samaniego said. 

At the end of 2025, OSACSI endorsed 232 projects for green lane treatment. These account for P6.11 trillion in investments and are expected to generate over 398,000 jobs.

The majority of the projects were in RE, comprising 179 projects worth over P5.2 trillion.

The others were digital infrastructure, infrastructure, food security, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.

The BoI tallied 16 operational green-lane projects worth P257.98 billion, while six projects worth P5.03 billion are in the pre-operations stage.

In pre-development are 163 projects worth P5.48 trillion, while 47 projects worth P362.91 billion are under construction.

Established through Executive Order No. 18, the green lane initiative aims to expedite strategic investments and translate investment commitments into actual, on-the-ground projects. — Justine Irish D. Tabile