ACEN Corporation, the energy investment arm of the Ayala group, becomes the first energy company in Southeast Asia to have cemented its mid-century "net zero" pathway or the specific timelines to achieve targets for zero gas emissions emanating from its businesses or operations. According to ACEN Chief Executive Officer Eric Francia, the firm’s net zero roadmap sets “clear milestones providing an accountable and transparent framework for measuring progress.” He added that their entire organization and its board “fully support this initiative,” noting further that “our climate ambition is well aligned with our vision to reach 20 GW (gigawatt) of renewables by 2030.” The company said it had cast its net zero aspiration based on 1,2 and 3 scoping aligned with the GHG Protocol for corporate standards, a measure of gaining sustainable competitive advantage in keeping with the global goal to limit temperature warming within the 1.5 degrees Celsius stipulated in the Paris Agreement. Scope 1 refers to direct emissions from company-owned and controlled resources, meaning the carbon emissions of the company's business activities – primarily those stationary combustion like fuels and heating sources; then mobile combustion which will include the fleet of vehicles own and used by the firm; fugitive emissions  or the leaks from greenhouse gas emissions like those on refrigerant gases which are classified to be even more dangerous than carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions; and then process emissions or those that are released during industrial processes and on-site manufacturing. Part of the scope 1 track of the company has been its massive investments in renewables; as well as its recent decision to retire its South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp. coal plant ahead of its full life cycle– and that was within the parameters of the energy transition mechanism (ETM), a funding apparatus that supports re-purposing or replacement of coal plants with clean energy technologies. For scope 2, these are the indirect emissions owned by the company generated from purchased energy – primarily from a utility provider or the consumption of purchased electricity; while scope 3 delves with indirect emissions not owned by the company, but from activities including business travels and the commuting of employees and executives, the wastes generated including those that are sent to landfills, wastewater treatments,  as well as those on disposal of wastes that have been emitting methane and nitrous oxide. As emphasized by the Ayala firm, its 2040 net zero target will cover its generating assets, retail activity as well as its joint ventures. “The roadmap includes near-term emission reduction targets aligned with the GHG Protocol and the latest climate-science and long-term targets that are consistent with the deep decarbonization of the power sector,” the company stipulated. It qualified that for its comprehensive game plan, “ACEN aims to deliver reduction-led decarbonization by 2040, with an interim target for 2030, and a net zero status (including neutralization) by 2050.” “This 2050 goal is in line with the broader Ayala group net zero target, while ACEN will continue to explore opportunities to further accelerate these targets in future,” the company said.