Meralco RE Unit Spectrum, IRRI Ally in Green Energy, Inaugurates Solar Pv System at Los Banos Campus
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Spectrum, a Meralco subsidiary specializing in renewable energy (RE), have collaborated on a project with twin objectives of responsible environmental sustainability and economic management.
With 115 years of Meralco energy expertise and experience as a foundation, Spectrum installed an 810 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system on five buildings of the Los Banos, Laguna research facility. One building is the new state- of- the- art Lloyd T. Evans Plant Growth Facility, which hosts studies for rice breeding and growth under a variety of controlled environments.
Commissioned to Spectrum under a Project Supply Agreement, this is the first time Spectrum has worked with an international non- profit organization with specialized needs.
IRRI’s solar PV system was officially inaugurated as part of the agenda of its annual Global Board of Trustees meeting, one of the rare occasions when all 12 IRRI board members were present.
“Our partnership allows IRRI to enjoy electricity savings from the grid on zero capital outlay,” said Spectrum President Jose Rainier A. Reyes. “The solar system we installed provides about 10 percent of the energy requirements of this facility, and so far, it has already given about P800,000 of energy savings since going online on October 2017. That’s at least a P170,000 of savings every month.”
SHARED GOALS
Spectrum’s engagement with the research center advances initiatives for systemic adaptation of clean energy throughout the country. The partnership also aligns with IRRI’s Sustainable Rice Platform of forging multi- stakeholder alliances to promote resource efficiency. There is a lot at stake. As a staple, rice is a water- thirsty crop and is vulnerable to extended dry spells, making it critical for agri- bodies to take a lead role in combating issues of climate change.
“Rice production is a major contributor to climate change. As a global leader in rice science, IRRI must take serious steps in rice innovations and take advantage of climate- smart technologies to minimize rice farming’s environmental footprint,” states Dr. Bruce Tolentino, IRRI Deputy Director General for Partnerships and Representative for the Philippines. “The installation of the solar panels is important to our efforts to fight greenhouse gases and reduce our operating costs.”
For its part, Meralco has strongly advocated for clean energy use, as shown by subsidiary spin- offs like Spectrum and an aggressive push for projects in RE, electric vehicles, and charging stations.
“Meralco strongly supports renewables as a responsible member of the global community geared towards energy sustainability,” said Meralco Senior Vice President and Head, Customer Retail Services and Corporate Communications Alfredo S. Panlilio. “We have a corporate responsibility, not just to the environment, but clearly in foodproduction, as well. And RE is a disruption that we fully embrace.”