LIMA Water Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC), has projected reduced energy costs after installing a solar panel in one of its sewage treatment plants.
The company said in a statement on Thursday that its 99.9-kilowatt solar power system, which was completed in April, could cut its energy costs through an estimated total power generation of 146 megawatt-hours annually.
Since its completion, the system has been generating 400 kilowatt-hours of “clean” and “green” energy daily, which is sufficient to power its second sewage treatment plant, or STP 2.
Aside from reducing the plant’s energy costs, the shift to renewable energy is expected to eliminate approximately 100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, the company said.
“Harnessing the power of renewable energy is a fundamental part of LIMA Water’s commitment to protect the environment and promote sustainability through innovative technologies,” Hazele Manalo, general manager of LIMA Water, said in a media release on Thursday.
“Our solar project is a significant step towards addressing the pressing issue of carbon emissions to ensure a sustainable future for the next generations to come,” she added.
LIMA Water’s solar power initiative is said to have demonstrated AIC’s broader commitment to drive sustainability across its various sectors.
“At AIC, sustainability lies at the core of our operations. We ensure that we make use of our natural resources responsibly, and LIMA Water’s solar panel project is just one of the many sustainable practices and initiatives that we have,” said Eduardo Aboitiz, head of AIC’s water business and president of Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc.
Mr. Aboitiz also mentioned the company’s pioneering innovation called “water-energy nexus” under AIC’s Apo Agua, which is a joint venture company between AIC and J.V. Angeles Construction Corp. based in Davao City.
The innovation allows the company to fully operate a water treatment plant solely on renewable energy generated from the natural flow of water from its primary surface water source.
LIMA Water said it is considering the possibility of transitioning one of its major facilities to renewable energy sources through the Green Energy Option Program of the Department of Energy. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
