By Myrna M. Velasco Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc. (KOFPH), the licensed bottler of Coca-Cola products in the country, has joined the league of corporate giants opting for clean energy in powering their business. Its chosen supplier for its electricity requirements is First Gen Corporation of the Lopez group, widely known as the only company in the country really standing pat on its commitment for clean energy portfolio such as renewables and gas. The supply pacts, according to KOFPH had been sealed with First Gen subsidiaries First Gen Energy Solutions, Inc. (FGES) and Bac-Man Geothermal, Inc. (BGI), for the supply of electricity that will be powering Coca-Cola’s bottling facilities in Cebu, Pampanga, Ilocos and Pangasinan. No details were provided on the volume off-take as well as electricity pricing under the bilateral supply agreement. The soda company said it will be “integrating more renewable energy in its operations as it shifts four more of its bottling facilities to run on renewable and clean sources” starting October 28 this year. This will be an addition to the current 40 percent RE-based electricity usage on at least six now of its bottling facilities – the most recent ones of which had been its plants in Sta. Rosa and Canlubang, Laguna that shifted to RE around February this year. The company has 19 bottling facilities all over the country. Coca-Cola said it has been embracing clean energy option on its power consumption as part of its deep-rooted commitment “to reduce carbon footprint and to achieve sustainable operations through the use of renewable energy sources.” At the same time, it is getting into the clean energy use pathway because this similarly entails adoption of new technologies that could heighten efficiency in operations. “This partnership between KOFPH and FGES will help the local bottling company work towards its Global 2020 Sustainability Goals on Energy,” the soft drink company said. On a global scale, Coca-Cola FEMSA has been targeting to pare its carbon footprint by 20 percent as reckoned from its 2010 baseline. Coca-Cola FEMSA thus added that it “has been working to responsibly manage its environmental footprint in all of its operations across the globe – towards sustainable development and operational systems that champion environmental welfare.” It stressed that in light of this, the company will persistently be “looking for ways to harness strategic, responsible and efficient measures for its environmentally conscious policies to take effect across its value chain.”