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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider SMC advances phased development of solar facility at Bulacan airport

SMC advances phased development of solar facility at Bulacan airport

Published Dec 26, 2023 02:44 am

At A Glance

  • The preference for solar as an energy source for NMIA does not only usher in a cleaner and greener future for airport infrastructure facility in the country, but it will similarly generate cost savings while protecting the environment.  

Diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is advancing into the phased development of a solar farm that will strategically position the cavernous New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan as a carbon-neutral infrastructure – with the kick-off installation targeted to provide the electricity needs of the aviation facility’s construction.

According to SMC Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang, “the solar plant construction will be ahead – solar in fact will be used for the construction of the airport.”

The NMIA – at its completion in the first quarter of 2027 - will purely run on 200-megawatt baseload renewable energy (RE) amalgamating solar photovoltaics (PVs) with battery energy storage system as well as wind technology.

“The (airport) site has good potential for wind, so wind will be integrated into the planned RE facility development for the airport,” he stressed.

For the solar arrays, the SMC chief executive indicated that the total installations could reach up to 1,200 megawatts plus energy storage.

Ang explained that to reach a baseload capacity for solar, the typical configuration is six times - hence, to deliver 200MW baseload capacity, the actual rollout shall warrant 1,200MW of ground-mounted solar deployments.

He qualified that the energy needs of the first phase of the airport, which will have carrying capacity of 35 million passengers, will just be at 50MW of baseload capacity and the gradual development will already cover NMIA’s construction stage.

Ang emphasized that if reckoned on the prototypical solar development design, the 50MW will effectively require up to 300MW of solar installations with four-hour duration energy storage coupling.

The SMC top executive highlighted that the Bulacan airport will not just be a showcase of a state-of-art and modern international gateway, but will also set spotlight on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Ang noted the preference for solar as an energy source for NMIA does not only usher in a cleaner and greener future for airport infrastructure facility in the country, but it will similarly generate cost savings while protecting the environment.  

The aviation industry is among the sectors intensely called upon by science to massively pare its carbon footprints, but it has been the airports so far that have been leading the way when it comes to this innovative system of drawing power from the sun as well as from other RE technologies. 

 

Related Tags

Ramon S. Ang San Miguel Corporation (SMC) New Manila International Airport solar PV battery energy storage system
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