Geothermal leader Energy Development Corp. said Monday it is piloting the use of electric vehicles fueled by steam energy from the charging station it built at its Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant in Kananga, Leyte.
The Tongonan geothermal plant is the company’s first geothermal facility with the world’s biggest wet steam field.
EDC said it is taking its mission to forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future a step further by using EVs powered by the clean, renewable geothermal energy it generates, a first not only in the Philippines but possibly in the Asia Pacific region.
Geo 24/7 is EDC’s brand of geothermal energy that provided the country with much-needed clean, low-carbon power 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round, for over 40 years.
EDC said the first of three Rich6EV 4×2 pickup trucks is at the site, while the two others will be available in the first quarter of 2023 through its partner, Hong Equipment and Development Corp.
The three initial EVs are part of EDC’s transport fleet from HEAD, its equipment, and service vehicle provider for over 30 years.
The vehicles will be tested in EDC’s Leyte project site for six months to determine how many units should be added to its rented fleet in Leyte and in all its facilities across the country.
“This electric vehicle symbolizes our company’s over the 30-year journey as a partner of EDC. It is the most modern model that can run 300-400 kilometers when fully charged…It is powered by geothermal, which makes it a 100 percent renewable energy-powered vehicle,” HEAD vice president for business development William Hong said.
He said other EVs are powered by electricity that usually comes from carbon-intensive coal.
“We have been searching for a partner that offers the best deal for our shift to electric vehicles, and we found one in HEAD Corp.,” said EDC’s supply chain head for indirect category and EV program manager Gloria Amboy.
Amboy said EDC is also looking to rent electric buses that will shuttle its employees to its project sites and put up EV charging stations in its host city, starting with Ormoc City in Leyte.
“Our long-term goal is to roll out this project in all EDC sites across the country. After all, what we want is to continuously be true and consistent with our mission to have a decarbonized future,” said Amboy.
EDC’s 711-megawatt Leyte geothermal facility supplies more than 30 percent of the country’s installed geothermal capacity.
