Aboitiz switches on Negros Occidental solar park

Aboitiz Power Corp. has scaled up its solar power portfolio with the activation of its biggest project yet in Negros Occidental.

In a statement on Thursday, the power generation giant said that the Calatrava Solar Project rated at 173 megawatt-peak (MWp)—its maximum potential output—of its renewable energy arm Aboitiz Renewables Inc. (ARI) is now up and running.

“Calatrava is our fifth energized solar facility and the largest capacity thus far in AboitizPower’s growing solar generation portfolio,” said ARI president Jimmy Villaroman.

“It (the solar park) adds more clean energy to the power mix, as well as valuable green jobs to the community,” he added.

READ: Aboitiz Group upbeat on ’24 goals, raises stake in energy sector

The group said that for this year alone, 512 MWp of new capacity have been fired up through the following projects—159-MWp Laoag Solar and 94-MWp Cayanga-Bugallon Solar power plants in Pangasinan, the 17-MW Tiwi Binary Geothermal Power Plant in Albay, SN Aboitiz Power’s 24-MW Magat battery energy storage system (BESS) in Isabela, and the 45-MWp Armenia Solar Project in Tarlac.

The firm earlier tapped Chinese firm Shandong Electric Power Engineering Consulting Institute Co. Ltd. for the installation of the Bay BESS in the province of Laguna, which is poised to become the “first-ever BESS and geothermal hybrid system in the Philippines.”

Aboitiz said that it would continue investing in clean energy projects—such as solar, hydro, geothermal, wind, and energy storage systems—to hit the 4,600-MW capacity target.

More investment

Currently, the company has more than 1,000 MW of renewable capacity.

The company has a presence in power generation, power distribution, retail electricity services, and distributed energy. Its power generation portfolio includes both renewable and nonrenewable generation plants.

Danel Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz Power, hinted at a potential increase in investment next year as the company seeks to expand its portfolio.

“I think at the end of the day, again, we’re in growth mode. We have aspirations to build more,” he told reporters earlier.

Aboitiz Group earmarked almost half of its capital expenditures, or P73 billion, to its power arm for 2024.