Solar Philippines, one of the country’s solar power developers, is set to inaugurate a 1.2-megawatt solar power rooftop at Robinsons Place in Palawan next month.
The company said the 5,760 solar panels to be installed at the mall’s rooftop would have the capacity to power light fixtures, escalators and elevators.
It would also represent about 20 percent of the mall’s electric consumption and save around P1 million in electricity bill each month. Solar Philippines said the project would also avoid about 1,100 carbon emissions per year.
Solar Philippines president Leandro Leviste said in a statement the company wanted more businesses to use renewable energy to help save the environment.
“The days of having to choose between business and the environment are over,” Leviste said.
“Solar has gained the reputation of being expensive, not because of the technology, but because previous efforts were too small to benefit from economies of scale. By building the country’s largest projects, we’ve become the first local company to make solar cost-competitive with fossil fuel,” Leviste said.
Robinsons Land Corp. president Frederick Go said teaming up with Solar Philippines was in line with the company’s energy efficiency savings and conservation program.
“We are proactive in advocating the use of solar power not just to cut costs on electricity consumption, but to educate and influence our stakeholders about the long term benefit of solar power, both environmentally and economically,” Go said.
Leviste said by harnessing the sun’s power, the project would help alleviate the looming power crisis which was expected to impact the country this year.
“In the long run, our dream remains the same: to ensure a reliable, clean and reasonably-priced, power supply,” Leviste said.
He said aside from installing commercial projects, Solar Philippines also planned to make solar power available to Metro Manila homeowners by offering residential package rates.