ACEN investing P16 billion for large-scale solar plant

MANILA, Philippines — ACEN Corp. is investing P16 billion for the development of another large-scale solar plant in Zambales.

The company has started the construction of the 300-megawatt (MW) Palauig 2 solar farm, which is located near the company’s operating 63-MW Palauig 1 solar project.

ACEN has tapped ERS Energy Pte. Ltd. and Global Electric Power Development Corp. (GEC) as the project’s engineering procurement and construction contractors, with ERS as the offshore supplier and GEC as the onshore construction contractor.

The company said the P16 billion investment for the project would include the construction of the 1,200-MW transmission line.

“Palauig 2 Solar is the first of several new plants to commence with major construction works this year, and the need to sustain this accelerated pace towards the exponential growth of the renewables space is on top of our agenda,” ACEN chief development officer Jose Maria Zabaleta said.

ACEN aims to harness growth potential for clean energy of Zambales, an area with one of the country’s highest irradiance zones and solar energy potential.

Palauig 2 Solar is expected to produce over 450-gigawatt hour (GWh) of clean energy per year once completed.

Together with Palauig 1 Solar’s 90 GWh output, the facilities can sustainably power the equivalent of around 139,000 homes and avoid 350,000 tons of carbon emissions annually.

ACEN said around 2,200 green energy jobs in Zambales has also been created since the start of the development of Palauig 1 Solar in 2020.

“This expansion of our Palauig Solar assets comes at an exciting time for ACEN’s Philippine operations as we are relying on our core market to boost our energy transition efforts in the region,” Zabaleta said.

Palauig 2 Solar is seen as a crucial addition to ACEN’s renewables push.

ACEN, the listed energy platform of diversified group Ayala, aims to be one of the Philippines’ top reliable partners in energy security by effectively harnessing the enormous potential of renewable energy resources.

The company aims to become the largest listed renewables platform in Southeast Asia, with a goal of reaching 20-GW in renewables capacity by 2030.

As it continues to expand its renewables portfolio across the region, ACEN said it also continues to invest in people and the wider society it operates in.

For instance, ACEN said Palauig Solar simultaneously uses land to generate solar energy and produce agricultural products to improve local food security.

The company was also able to successfully divert around 1,500 kilograms of plastic waste during the construction stage of Palauig 1 Solar, and use more than 11,000 eco products to date, helping address plastic waste challenges and create long-term impact for the community.

ACEN said the program would be replicated in Palauig 2 Solar’s construction, as well as in other projects that will be developed in the Philippines.