Huawei to equip SPNEC’s massive solar project with latest battery tech

FILE PHOTO: A person stands by a sign of Huawei during World Artificial Intelligence Conference, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, September 1, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

SP New Energy Corp.’s (SPNEC) efforts to build the world’s largest solar farm are on full blast with Chinese tech giant Huawei ensuring the P200-billion Terra Solar project is equipped with the “latest” technology in energy storage system.

A deal was signed on Friday between its unit Terra Solar Philippines Inc. (TSPI) and Huawei International, Pte. Ltd., covering the supply of battery energy storage systems (BESS).

According to SPNEC, the Chinese titan’s contract with the group was its “biggest BESS project” yet as this would fuel the whole 4,500-megawatt hour (MWhr) capacity of the solar facility in Central Luzon, covering massive land areas in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.

Huawei would also deploy “step-up transformers” to allow Terra Solar to store surplus power produced during off-peak hours, which the facility could tap for a supply boost to the grid during peak periods.

READ: Marcos leads groundbreaking of massive solar farm project in Luzon

The deal, it said, also includes containerized batteries and essential auxiliary components such as fire suppression systems; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; battery management systems; power conversion systems; and energy management systems.

The Filipino firm was confident that Huawei could deliver given its expertise in developing advanced solutions for the global renewable market, such as the Red Sea New City solar storage microgrid in Saudi Arabia.

“By combining MTerra Solar’s vast solar power generation capacity with Huawei’s cutting-edge energy storage solutions, we are creating a powerful synergy that will optimize grid
operations, ensuring a consistent and uninterrupted power supply,” said Emmanuel
Rubio, president and chief executive officer of MGen.

READ: SPNEC taps Energy China for Luzon solar farm

So far, two other Chinese firms—namely Power Construction Corp. of China Ltd. and Energy China—have been tapped for the construction of some parts of the solar project.

Aside from the 4,500 MWhr of battery, the Terra Solar project will also have 3,500 MW of solar photovoltaic.

Rubio previously said more than 2.4 million households in the country could benefit once Terra Solar is switched on by 2027.