Murata sticks with First Gen for geothermal power

MANILA, Philippines — The local unit of Japan-based electronics giant Murata Manufacturing Ltd. extended its partnership with Lopez-led First Gen Corp. on using clean energy for its production facility in Batangas province.

In a joint statement, First Gen said Philippine Manufacturing Co. of Murata Inc.’s (PMM) facility will be powered by the Bacon-Manito geothermal field in Sorsogon, operated by its subsidiary Energy Development Corp.

First Gen did not provide additional details about the renewed partnership agreement such as the timeline and volume of supply involved. Both parties first teamed up in 2021.

“While we aim to capture the demand for components that support emerging technologies, we want to do so in a manner that is cost-efficient, best in class, and carbon-neutral,” PMM president Masayoshi Koda said.

Carbon neutrality goal

PMM’s facility, located within the Lopez Group’s First Philippine Industrial Park economic zone in Batangas, has been operating fully on renewable energy since 2022, as part of its goal of achieving carbon neutrality.

READ: First Gen bares renewable energy expansion plans

Aside from using geothermal energy, the plant harnesses power from over 6,700 solar panels installed at its facility with a capacity to generate close to 3,000 kilowatts of electricity.

PMM also has integrated comprehensive environmental management programs in its operations, including the design and manufacturing processes of its electronic products, uses materials with low environmental load, and increases the input ratio of recycled materials.

It focuses on producing multilayer ceramic capacitors that are used for electric vehicles and 6G communications technology.
Aside from geothermal, First Gen operates other power plants such as hydro, wind, and natural gas — all together with an attributable capacity of 3,666 MW.