LIMA Water, a business unit of Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) , has turned to solar technology for the energy requirements of the sewage treatment plant 2 (STP-2) for its water facility that is catering to the needs of LIMA Estate, an economic and industrial zone in Lipa-Malvar, Batangas that is also under the Aboitiz group.

The solar facility’s installation had been completed in April this year, and the scale of electricity generation since then already topped 400 kilowatt hours, according to LIMA Water.

“The 99.9 kW solar panel installation is projected to significantly reduce LIMA Water’s energy costs, with an estimated total power generation of 146 MWh (megawatt-hours) annually,” the company emphasized.

The major stimulus to the company’s energy usage switch to solar had not only been anchored on lower costs, but primarily on reducing carbon footprints so it becomes a global ally in mitigating climate change risks.

“Aside from reducing the facility’s energy costs, the shift to renewable energy is expected to eliminate approximately 100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, which is equivalent to the environmental benefit of planting over 3,500 trees, a significant contribution to the fight against climate change,” the company stressed.

According to Hazele Manalo, general manager of LIMA Water, “harnessing the power of renewable energy is a fundamental part of LIMA Water's commitment to protect the environment and promote sustainability through innovative technologies.”

She conveyed that their decision to opt for solar installation in their facility, “is a significant step towards addressing the pressing issue of carbon emissions to ensure a sustainable future for the next generations to come.”

Manalo qualified that “LIMA Water's solar power initiative exemplifies the broader commitment of Aboitiz InfraCapital to drive sustainability across its various sectors.”

As AIC Head of Water Business and Apo Agua President Eduardo Aboitiz had reckoned, the LIMA Water’s solar panel project “is just one of the many sustainable practices and initiatives that we have,” with him emphasizing that part of their sustainability strategy is to “ensure that we make use of our natural resources responsibly.

On the wider precept of energy-water nexus, Aboitiz similarly highlighted that their Apo Agua project in Davao is a tangible proof-of-concept that such management of resources and strategic approach to business can be viably done.

“This approach allows Apo Agua to fully operate its water treatment plant solely on renewable energy generated from the natural flow of water from its primary surface water source,” he narrated.