Robinsons Land, Meralco amplify sustainability initiatives with new EV charging stations, more solar O&M deals

By CNN Philippines Staff

Published Oct 26, 2022, 7:00:30 PM

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) and the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) advanced their thrust to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions with the launch of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and the expansion of operations and maintenance (O&M) of solar panels in different Robinsons Malls nationwide.

EV charging stations are now available for public use at Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas. Robinsons Magnolia follows next and soon, the first mall EV charging station outside of NCR opens at Robinsons Tagaytay.

The new EV charging stations are in support of the recently enacted Republic Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), which requires owners of buildings and establishments to dedicate parking slots for EVs.

Supplied and installed by Meralco subsidiary eSakay, Inc., an end-to-end EV solutions provider, the charging stations at Robinsons Malls feature charging pods for 4-wheeled EVs such as Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) and pods that can accommodate 2-wheeled & 3-wheeled EVs such as eBikes, eScooters, and eTrikes.

"Our strategic collaboration with Robinsons Land Corporation to build EV charging stations in Robinsons Malls underscores eSakay's continuing commitment to promote the country's important transition to electrified transport. It also highlights and heightens our pledge to provide our clients with top-notch, reliable, and fit-for-purpose electric mobility solutions, from EV to charging infrastructure solutions. This is all geared towards enabling our clients to enhance their operations while advancing their sustainability agenda," said Raymond B. Ravelo, Meralco Chief Sustainability Officer and eSakay President and CEO.

Besides the EV charging stations, RLC and Meralco are also working to strengthen their efforts to advance sustainability through renewable energy.

RLC is currently the largest solar-powered mall operator, having invested P1.6 billion for 24 Robinsons Malls in solar PV adoption to help with the reduction of carbon emissions and fossil fuel-based electricity, consistent with its commitment of "Making Life Better".

Spectrum, a solar subsidiary of Meralco that provides end-to-end solar solutions, is RLC's existing partner for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the solar installations in Robinsons Novaliches, Robinsons Angeles, Robinsons Cybergate Bacolod, Robinsons Galleria Cebu, and Robinsons Palawan Expansion.

The scope includes servicing and replacement of equipment, dismantling and reinstallation of PV modules, cleaning of system, and generation monitoring, among others. The O&M services of Spectrum have allowed Robinsons to maximize their solar investment and increase their solar kWh production by up to 18.5%.

Photo from Robinsons Land Corporation

It was also Spectrum that installed a 528-kWp solar system at Robinsons Palawan Expansion, which has so far generated approximately 2,800,000 kWh of clean energy since its commercial operations in 2017. This project alone reduced Robinsons Palawan Expansion's carbon footprint by approximately 2,000 Metric Tons, equivalent to 91,600 mature trees planted.

RLC also invested in more energy-efficient chillers for its malls and expanded the sourcing of electricity from renewable energy by partnering with renewable energy suppliers for its power requirements, growing its clean energy used in 2021 to 30.24 GWh. It has installed rainwater collection systems in 29 malls and is using greywater for landscaping and irrigation in 15 malls.

Its renewable energy sourcing alone allowed the company to avoid as much as 19,804.94 metric tons of carbon emission in its malls, translating to an increase of 35.4 percent from its 14,627.89 carbon footprint reduction in 2020.

"Driving game-changing sustainability programs is an important priority for RLC. This imperative is fully aligned with the rising call for environmental conservation and efficient use of resources to help cushion the adverse effects of climate change. Our partnership with the Meralco Group allows us to strengthen our commitment and introduce innovations that will have lasting positive impact for all our customers and for the environment," said Faraday D. Go, RLC Executive Vice President.

RLC is one of the largest property developers nationwide, with businesses in residential, hotels and resorts, commercial centers, industrial and integrated developments, and office buildings. Meralco, meanwhile, has been proactively supporting RLC through various services including contract rightsizing that allowed the property developer to save as much as P2.1M in energy costs since November 2021.

Its services also include an energy audit for RLC malls, offices, hotels, and warehouses, totaling 79 properties through Meralco's business unit MServ. In compliance with the DOE's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Law (EE&C Law), the audit includes walk-through and analysis of RLC properties to determine ways to increase their operational efficiency and complement the company's sustainability agenda.

Also recently, Meralco enrolled 10 Robinsons Malls to the Interruptible Load Program, through which RLC committed to de-load a total of 31 megawatts (MW) when needed and potentially spare around 124,000 households and small businesses from the inconvenience of unplanned power interruptions.

"We are grateful to our partners who have entrusted the O&M of their solar installations with us. Our shared goals, which are anchored on protecting the environment and improving our customers' business, have led us to advance green alternatives." said Engr. Ferdinand O. Geluz, Spectrum President and CEO, and Meralco First Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

"We in Meralco are committed to making our solutions as accessible and affordable to our customers while upholding the highest safety standards and quality control measures. We hope that our customers continue their environmental conservation journey, and we will continue to support them as we all move forward towards a cleaner and greener future," Geluz added.