As the nation continues to develop, we cannot continue to do so without changing the way we power our country. After all, the effects of climate change cannot be denied, yet our power demands continue to grow. The need for more sustainably generated power is becoming increasingly important, and Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) actively participates in its realization.
AboitizPower is a part of the Aboitiz Group, which is undergoing a company-wide transformation from conglomerate to “techglomerate.” To become a techglomerate, the Aboitiz Group is undergoing a Great Transformation to integrate technology to provide for the Filipino people in sustainable, efficient, and economically viable ways.
As the world becomes more aware of the risks of climate change and how vulnerable the country is to its effects, AboitizPower’s roadmap to the future involves three key pillars: Sustainable Energy Transition, Innovation, and Growth beyond the Core.
Moving to renewables
The company’s approach to sustainable energy transition is pragmatic, taken from the lens of a developing country like the Philippines. To continue meeting the country’s growing needs for power, there has to be a balance between clean energy and energy security. This 50-50 strategy guides AboitizPower in finding the right energy solutions that will contribute to a better world.
To carefully manage this balance, AboitizPower, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. (ARI) and partners, is one of the pioneers and leaders in renewable energy (RE) with the largest installed capacity. The company’s RE portfolio includes hydroelectric, geothermal, and solar power generation projects. Within this decade, AboitizPower seeks to expand its RE efforts threefold to meet its target of 4,700 megawatts (MW) generated by renewable means by 2030.
AboitizPower has already broken ground on the Cayanga Solar power plant in the town of Bugallon, which is targeted for commercial operations by the first quarter of 2023. There are more renewable energy projects in the pipeline such as an onshore wind project in Camarines Sur, and two more solar projects in Pangasinan expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2023.
Efficiency through technology
Another key to meeting future energy demands is innovation. The company applies this by seeking out technology to improve how the company can work better.
One such example is the digitalization of its subsidiary, Hedcor, a owner and operator of hydropower facilities in Luzon and Mindanao, as well as one solar farm in the Visayas. Hedcor currently manages 22 hydroelectric facilities that deliver 280 MW of clean and renewable energy to the grid. On top of this, the company also manages AboitizPower’s 59-MW peak (MWp) solar farm in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
Hedcor can now operate, monitor, and control its 22 facilities through its new National Operations Control Center (NOCC). The NOCC is a centralized facility in Benguet that allows for real-time data monitoring and analysis, operation and control of equipment, management of the alarm system, and delivery of notifications and plant operation reports. It also features operations and reliability dashboards for performance tracking and outage analysis. It runs like a space shuttle launch center, complete with a wall of monitors and real-time readouts of all the valuable information vital to its operations. This helps the company react quickly to any developments and ensure continuous, reliable power.
This control center is just one of the ways AboitizPower is leveraging data science and analytics to upscale its operations. It is guided by the DigitaLeap mantra where it is approached with, “yes, digital-first, but more importantly, digital where it matters.”
Guided by the 4Ds
AboitizPower isn’t just focused on the present but is also keeping an eye to the future. It is always looking for growth beyond the core business of power generation and distribution.
Guiding their search for growth are the ‘4Ds’ of energy that many nations, governments, and stakeholders of the energy sector are already following in order to make serious changes to the way we consume, and think about energy, as well as tackle climate change. The 4Ds are: Decarbonization, Decentralization, Digitalization, and Democratization.
These can be met by looking to sources of generating power that have not yet been fully utilized, doing so efficiently, effectively, and fairly to the consumer. This can be done by the creation of ecosystems made up of sustainable cities and communities through smart homes and businesses, networks and infrastructures, and sustainable transport systems. The possibilities are endless.
“Our mission of providing reliable, reasonable, and responsible energy solutions is equally as important as our contribution to solving the global challenge of power consumption and its negative impacts on the environment,” James Arnold Villaroman, President and Chief Operating Officer of ARI said. “AboitizPower aims to empower every home and dream while sparking positive environmental change.”
Villaroman added that this is why the company is always looking ahead to be ready for what the energy sector can provide and transform into in the future.
Changing mindsets
“We are determined to seeing through our 10-year strategy of contributing a more reliable, cost-efficient, and sustainable power system for the country, and this is only the beginning. There will be more beyond this pipeline in order for us to reach our target,” Villaroman shared.
Shifting from fossil fuels to more renewable sources of energy is just the first step for AboitizPower. It may seem daunting yet by rethinking how we generate and distribute power, maximizing how it is currently produced, and delivering it efficiently, it’s a transformation that’s possible within our lifetime.
It’s not too much to ask for reliable, reasonable, and responsible energy solutions for a better future. For AboitizPower, it’s what guides their operations every day.