Ayala Powers Up Its Massive Solar Facility in Laguna

The Philippines is one step closer to achieving zero greenhouse emissions. AC Energy or ACEN, the listed energy platform of the Ayala Group, has powered up its 40-megawatt hybrid solar energy storage facility in Alaminos, Laguna. 

The facility is the first of its kind in the Philippines. It boasts of 24 battery containers with 2.5 megawatt-hour lithium-ion batteries by Saft. That is enough electricity to energize 20,000 homes, according to Power Philippines. 

The ACEN facility will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35.87 metric tons annually. 

“We are taking advantage of battery storage technology’s fast response, scalability, and ease of integration into our renewable projects,” ACEN Chief Development Officer Jose Maria Zabaleta said in a statement. 

“With the Alaminos Energy Storage project, we can harness renewable energy more effectively amidst its variability while improving the operating capabilities of the grid and ensuring high reliability,” he added.

The Ayala-led company plans to generate 5,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable energy by 2025 and envisions the Philippines to have zero greenhouse emissions by 2050 or earlier. 

The Philippines is a Core Market for Renewables

According to ACEN, the Philippines remains to be ACEN’s core market. It has invested in much needed energy projects in the country and has significantly diversified its generation portfolio to increase its renewables capacity.

In 2021, ACEN’s nine-month income stood at P4.3 billion, up by 22 percent from the previous year. Its renewable energy share in the country rose from 15 percent in 2018 to 83 percent in 2021.