By Lenie Lectura - January 28, 2020
City of Dreams (CoD) Manila, the
country’s first integrated resort to harness solar energy, on Monday switched on
its 1.2-megawatt (MW) solar rooftop panels installed by a subsidiary of the
Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).
There are 3,120 solar PV panels
installed on a 6,436-square, meter area across two buildings. The P76-million
solar project can generate power of up to 1,730 megawatt hour (MWh) annually,
equivalent to 923,820 kilograms of carbon footprint reduction, which is enough
to power almost 1,000 households every year.
City of Dreams Manila Senior Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Benning said the solar panels could
power up to 20 percent of its total consumption, which is estimated
at about 7 MW.
Investment can be recovered in seven
years, he said.
“This venture is a significant step
in our vision to be sustainable in our operations. Utilizing clean and
renewable energy is only one of our numerous green initiatives and we hope that
as we set the bar for sustainable operations, we also inspire positive change
as we all take part in the growing movement towards a more sustainable future,”
Benning said.
CoD Manila is also considering to
tap Meralco’s renewable-energy (RE) subsidiary Spectrum in providing more solar
panels for the luxury integrated casino resort.
“It’s already under review. We are
currently evaluating our roof deck where we can build additional panels. We
will be done this year with our evaluation,” added Benning.
Spectrum, for its part, is hopeful
it can seal anther contract with CoD. Benning said it only took “less than
eight months” upon contract signing with Spectrum for CoD to harness solar
power.
“The City of Dreams Manila’s 1.2-MW
solar project is the single largest installation in a commercial rooftop, so
you can consider yourself an industry benchmark. Now this begs the question:
Why did Meralco, a company whose core business comes from the distribution of
electricity, set up a subsidiary that effectively reduces consumption? Isn’t
this counterintuitive?” Spectrum President and Meralco First Vice President,
and Head of Customer Retail Services and Corporate Communications Victor
Genuino wondered aloud.
He then answered his own question:
“The simple answer is because you, our customers, demanded it. Our customers
are evolving. They are becoming more conscious of their impact to diminishing
resources—and they want to do something about it.”
Business partners, like City of
Dreams Manila, “are a prime example of this rising social involvement by
integrating sustainability into their business DNA,” added Genuino.
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