The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has partnered with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Philippines, Inc. (JCCIPI) to advance sustainable and energy-efficient solutions in the energy sector.
During a recent joint webinar on sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) trends in the Philippines, Meralco presented its commitments and initiatives to JCCIPI members, aiming to foster potential collaborations that would enhance ESG leadership and drive meaningful outcomes.
As the largest electricity distributor in the country, Meralco actively collaborates with government entities and private sector stakeholders to achieve sustainability objectives, positioning the company as an ideal partner for like-minded organizations within JCCIPI.
JCCIPI, a non-profit organization comprised of Japanese or Japanese-related companies and organizations in the Philippines, seeks to promote mutual interests and business relationships.
“Meralco can provide expertise in the energy sector while JCCPI can contribute technological advancement and investment. This collaboration can result in sustainable energy solutions,” Bernice Gretchel P. Garcia–Rama, Meralco enterprise-commercial and conglomerates head said.
For his part, Danilo B. Aquillo, Meralco head of energy Services, said the power distributor’s sustainability programs are aimed at creating a positive and lasting impact in the communities within its franchise area.
These include the company’s commitment to a just, orderly, and affordable transition to clean energy through sourcing 1,500 megawatts (MW) of the company’s supply requirements from renewable energy and the development of 1,500 MW of renewable energy projects.
Meralco is also accelerating its efforts to transition 25 percent of its vehicles to electric by 2030.
On the power distribution side, Victor L. Risma IV, Meralco Enterprise-Industrial head stated that the company is scaling up its smart grid program to achieve higher efficiency, better demand response, and accommodate more renewable energy in its expansive distribution network.
Part of this program is the adoption of IEC 61850, the latest international standard for communication protocols covering intelligent electronic devices at its substations.
Meralco is also rolling out smart meters, the deployment of its advanced metering infrastructure, the implementation of supervisory control and data acquisition system, and, in the future, the installation of a distributed energy resources management system.