Robinsons Place installs biggest offgrid solar panel in Palawan

MANILA, Philippines - Puerto Princesa City – Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) has installed the biggest off-grid rooftop solar panel in the country to date, pouring in about $2 million to harness the power of the sun in its mall in Palawan.

The property arm of the Gokongwei family inaugurated yesterday its 1.2- megawatt (MW) rooftop solar system in Robinsons Place Palawan, the first of several Robinsons malls across the country to use solar energy.

RLC president Frederick D. Go said they chose to start with Robinsons Place Palawan because of the need to help protect the province’s natural beauty and fragile ecosystem which have made it the Philippine’s top eco-tourism destination.  

“This is our contribution as a member of the Palaweño community which is always conscious about taking care of the environment,” Go said.

He said the move towards solar power is also RLC’s contribution to the country in helping ease the shortage of electricity.

“What is good about solar power, weather permitting, is that the peak energy production coincides with the mall’s peak load during the day thus further relieving the burden on the local electric cooperative during peak hours,” Go said.

With its plan to make a strong stand in helping preserve the environment, RLC is embarking on a renewable energy program that will install off-grid rooftop solar PV panels on all feasible malls nationwide.

“This will not only aid in addressing the looming power shortage by reducing energy consumption from the grid but will also serve as the company’s noble contribution to be part of the global solution to avert global warming and lessen our country’s dependence on imported fossil fuel through the development of clean and green energy,” RLC said.

The property firm said development of similar facilities for RLC’s malls in Dumaguete, Roxas and Iloilo are also underway and are targeted for completion by June this year.

Installation of rooftop solar panels usually take three to four months to complete.

Solar Philippines Commercial Rooftop Projects Inc. won the bidding to provide, install and maintain the 4,700 solar photo-voltaic panels in the rooftop of Robinsons Place Palawan.

Solar Philippines said the current benhcmark investment for a solar system in the country stands at about $2 million per MW.

Go said RLC has already bidded out the project for the installation of solar panels for its malls in Dumaguete, Roxas and Iloilo as well.

He said the property firm intends to start its move to solar energy with the malls that are located in cities where electricity costs are highest.

Arlene Magtibay, general manager of RLC commercial centers division, said all future Robinsons malls would also be designed with solar panels in mind so that roofing structures will allow them to install solar panels.

“In this way, RLC strengthens its commitment to be part of the solution to global warming,” Magtibay said.