Meralco, Robinsons Land boost deployment of EV chargers


Power utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) of the Gokongwei group are reinforcing their tie-up for the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the latter’s Robinsons malls.

In a statement to the media, Meralco indicated that the initial EV infrastructure rollout had been for two (2) charging stations at the Robinsons Galleria-Ortigas mall that was officially opened to the public on Wednesday (October 26).

RLC Executive Vice President and General Manager for Business Faraday D. Go said “driving game-changing sustainability programs is an important priority for RLC. This imperative is fully aligned with the rising call for environmental conservation and efficient use of resources to help cushion the adverse effects of climate change.”

He added their company’s partnership with the Meralco Group “allows us to strengthen our commitment and introduce innovations that will have lasting positive impact for all our customers and for the environment.”

The EV chargers had been supplied and installed by eSakay, the EV solutions provider-subsidiary of Meralco.

These facilities have “pods that can accommodate two-wheeled & three-wheeled EVs such as e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-trikes; as well as a 7.4kW AC-type charging pod for four-wheeled EVs, such as battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV),” according to the utility firm.

Meralco Chief Sustainability Officer and eSakay President and CEO Raymond B. Ravelo stated “our strategic collaboration with Robinsons Land Corporation to build EV charging stations in Robinsons Malls underscores eSakay’s continuing commitment to promote the country’s important transition to electrified transport.”

The two EV charging facilities, Meralco qualified, had just been the kick-off point of its partnership with RLC on whetting up appetite for EV uptake in the country.

Next in their projects’ line-up will be an e-bike charging station at Robinsons Magnolia and an AC (alternating current) charging station for both four-wheeled battery EVs and PHEVs to be installed at Robinsons Tagaytay.

These project-developments, Ravelo noted, “highlights and heightens our pledge to provide our clients with top-notch, reliable, and fit-for-purpose electric mobility solutions -- from EV to charging infrastructure solutions,” which their clients could position as part of their strategy in attaining their respective sustainability agendas.

Beyond installation of EV chargers, Meralco and RLC will likewise broaden their business alliance on electrification ventures utilizing renewable energy (RE) resources.

Meralco’s other subsidiary Spectrum is currently the provider of end-to-end solar solutions and is in-charge of the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the solar installations in several Robinson’s malls in Novaliches in Quezon City; Angeles City in Pampanga, Robinsons Cybergate in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; Robinsons Galleria in Cebu, as well as at Robinsons Mall in Palawan.

As specified, RLC already injected least P1.6 billion for the installation of solar at its malls, hence, it is now thriving as the biggest player to have opted for “solar PV adoption to help with the reduction of (its) carbon emissions.”

In their business arrangement, Meralco emphasized that “Spectrum handles servicing and replacement of equipment, dismantling and reinstallation of PV modules, cleaning of system, and generation monitoring.”

The O&M component of their deal, the power firm expounded, so far warranted Robinsons malls “to maximize their solar investment and increase their solar kilowatt-hour production by up to 18.5-percent.”

Engineer Ferdinand O. Geluz, president and CEO of Spectrum, stressed that “our shared goals, which are anchored on protecting the environment and improving our customers’ business, have led us to advance green alternatives.”

On Spectrum’s estimates, the solar technology solutions empowered RLC “to avoid as much as 19,804.94 metric tons of carbon emission in its malls, translating to an increase of 35.4 percent from its 14,627.89 carbon footprint reduction in 2020.”