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TECHNOLOGY startup SolX Technologies, Inc. said an end-to-end digital energy solutions platform can help local businesses make cost-effective decisions with their energy consumption.

The startup aims to aid Philippine companies in identifying ideal power contracts and retail electricity suppliers while negotiating the best value for money, Sergius U. Santos, chief executive officer and co-founder of SolX Technologies, said in an e-mailed statement.

The system has helped some companies “save an average of 25% … on their energy costs by going a level deeper and providing them contract optimization and insights on demand charges to further the savings,” he added.

The Philippines remains one of the countries in Southeast Asia with the most expensive electricity.

In December 2021, the Philippines’ residential rate was $0.16/kilowatt hour (kWh), second to Singapore ($0.18/kWh) and higher than Thailand ($0.10/kWh), Indonesia ($0.10/kWh), and Malaysia ($0.05/kWh).

The Philippines has a 2020-2040 energy plan that “advocates for the development and use of existing and emerging technologies in the most efficient and sustainable manner.”

Among the plan’s goals are a 35% renewable energy share in the power generation mix by 2030, as well as a 5% penetration rate of electric vehicles for road transport by 2040.

“Our grid is primarily still coal and natural gas… but some MSMEs [micro, small, and medium enterprises] are now opting for green energy (solar, hydro, wind, geo combination),” Mr. Santos said in an e-mail on Aug. 12.

Rural Industrial Corp., a paper recycling company in Bulacan, is one such enterprise.

Its energy costs total between 25% to 30% of its monthly expenses nowadays, according to its general manager Max L. Sy.

The company, which uses a combination of coal and electricity to generate steam and operate its machines, “is exploring using solar and reusable energy to save on energy costs,” Mr. Sy said in an e-mail on Aug. 14.“[We also have a] continuous focus on operational efficiency to increase output while reducing other input costs,” he said. — Patricia B. Mirasol