Filipino firm Citicore Power Inc. has finished the installation of solar rooftops that will provide the electricity needs of at least eight (8) buildings in the domain of the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), an economic zone north of Manila.

The completed portion of the project has a total capacity of 2.84 megawatts, and it accounted for more than half of the total 14 buildings in that freeport zone.

With that renewable energy-anchored installation, Citicore Power noted that AFAB will not only pare its carbon dioxide emissions by 5,800 metric tons per year; but it will also yield annual cost savings by as much as P5.3 million on its power bills.

When the solar rooftop energization of all 14 buildings at AFAB will be fully consummated, Citicore Power indicated that the total energy generated for the freeport would be at the scale of 6.64MW.

“The solar project will have 14,756 pieces of mono-crystalline photovoltaic panels with 450 watts power class and string inverter capacity and can generate electricity of up to 6,554 gigawatt-hours yearly,” Citicore Power said.

Oliver Tan, president of Citicore Power, stressed that the project had been completed in a span of seven months - and that’s essentially two months ahead of the deadline previously set for the installation of the solar rooftop facilities.

Despite the movement restriction hurdles posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Tan emphasized that the initial completion of the installations in eight buildings will already “allow the AFAB locators to harness solar energy and embed energy efficiency as integral part of their operations.”

As laid down, AFAB is cementing its ‘sustainability’ and ‘green energy’ pathway of development at the freeport zone, which is host to the operations of many manufacturing facilities.

According to AFAB Administrator Emmanuel D. Pineda, the agency’s decision to opt for solar as its energy source is well aligned with its “SOFT HEART” Action Plan that targets to prioritize socially-relevant, operationally viable, financially feasible and shall also be employing the use of advanced technologies when it comes to facets like housing, expansion areas, accessibility, renewable energy and transportation.

Alewijn Aidan Ong, deputy administrator for Operations at AFAB, qualified that “the solar rooftop project is a significant step for the freeport to attain its vision of sustainable operations.

He expounded that it was a conscious choice on their part to patronize clean and renewable energy in their power use because that will be “a start towards greener option,” and it will likewise enable AFAB to “effectively manage our impact on the environment and help drive down our energy costs.”

Ong further said “this solar panel installation program demonstrates that with technological innovations and collaboration among partners, alternative energy sources can be harnessed and provide cost-effective solutions for electricity generation.”