By Robert Maico
BIÑAN CITY, Laguna Sept 20 (PNA) – The 700-kilowatt Largest Solar Rooftop Project was launched Saturday at the 3rd floor of Central Mall Solar Philippines in this city.
Solar Philippines, the largest Solar Plant and the Country’s Leading Solar Provider, financed, designed and constructed the entire system at zero upfront cost to Central Mall-Binan, under a power purchase agreement.
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jericho Petilla, City Mayor Marlyn Alonte, City Vice-Mayor Arman Dimaguila, Premiumlink Development Corporation General Manager JR Dee, Senator Loren Legarda and her son, Solar Philippines President Leandro Leviste jointly spearheaded the launching of this largest Solar Rooftop Project.
Leviste said Solar electricity is supplied directly to the mall below Meralco rates, guaranteeing savings from day one, officials said. This covers 30% of the mall’s total energy needs, reducing its electricity bill by millions of pesos per year, he added.
This plant will produce enough electricity to supply 1,000 Filipino households and in over three decades in operation will offset an estimated 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) or the equivalent of planting over 100,000 trees, according to Leviste.
Covering over 7,000 sqm, the system is made of 2, 514 solar panels and equipment from Schletter mounting systems and SMA inverters, with two premium German brands, he said.
This project marks many first for renewable energy in the Philippines. It is the first solar installation financed by a Philippine Bank (BPI), Leviste said.
According to Leviste, this is also the first to offer a rate competitive with fossil fuel and the first solar-powered mall.
The project came in with the Department of Energy’s warning of a supply shortfall of 500MW in 2015. To address this, the DOE has increased its solar installation target from 50MW to 500MW, noting that a solar plant’s fast construction time makes it a natural solution to thelooming crisis, he stressed. (PNA)