Chinese energy solutions provider ventures into PH market

Trina Solar Ltd., a China-based global provider of energy solutions, is venturing into the small-scale solar photovoltaic market in the Philippines as it sees favorable government policies that support growing demand.

The company, which has headquarters in Changzhou City near Shanghai, has launched in the Philippines its Trinahome offering, which is a range of solar rooftop systems for residential and small- to medium-sized commercial establishments.

This move comes as Trina Solar sees the utility-scale solar market in the country now saturated already.

Trina Solar provided hardware for the 132.5-megawatt Cadiz solar farm in Negros Occidental as well as the 63.5-MW Calatagan solar facility in Batangas.

According to Netherlands-based research firm Solarplaza, the Cadiz plant is still the biggest operational solar facility in Southeast Asia in terms of power-generating capacity while Calatagan ranks eighth.

“Now that Trina Solar has solidified its strong position in the commercial, industrial and utility segment of the market, we are now moving into the residential and small to medium enterprises,” Trina Solar Philippines country manager Junrhey Castro said in a briefing.

Casto said homes and SMEs stood to benefit in terms of energy self-sufficiency—their own rooftops becoming a power plant—as well as reduced electricity cost.

“Trinahome is the first ‘plug and play’ residential and commercial solution in the Philippines with warranties backed by an internationally bankable supplier,” he said.

The system is available in packages of 1.5 kilowatts, 3 kW, 5 kW and 10 kW, with the investment ranging from P100,000 to P500,000.

Castro said the 3-MW system, costing about P200,000, is appropriate for a typical household the consumes 200 kilowatt-hours a month.

He said Trinahome paid for itself in four to six years, which means that electricity generated after that was practically free.

“The system is designed to last for 25 years, so it makes financial sense to install [it],” Castro said.