December 8, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen) has tapped Singapore-based Huawei International Pte. Ltd. to deliver the battery energy storage system (BESS) component of the MTerra Solar project.
MGen, through Terra Solar Philippines Inc. (TSPI) and Huawei signed a supply agreement to equip the MTerra Solar project with state-of-the-art BESS technology.
TSPI, a unit of SP New Energy Corp. (SPNEC), is currently developing a 3,500-megawatt-peak solar power plant paired with a 4,500-MW-hour BESS in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.
Once completed in 2027, the solar facility is expected to be the largest of its kind in the world.
The Meralco Group took over the project last year after acquiring a controlling stake in SPNEC through MGen Renewable Energy Inc., a subsidiary of MGen.
“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,” MGen president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio said.
This strategic deal is said to be Huawei’s biggest project for an integrated solar photovoltaic and BESS facility to date.
Under the agreement, Huawei will provide step-up transformers to connect to the 34.5-kilovolt busbar at the main substation.
These systems will enable MTerra Solar to store excess electricity generated during low-demand periods and supply it back to the grid during peak demand.
“This capability not only enhances grid stability but also enables the seamless integration of variable renewable energy into the national energy grid,” TSPI president and executive director Dennis Jordan said.
Earlier, MGen awarded engineering, procurement and construction contracts to Chinese firms Power Construction Corp. of China Ltd. and China Energy Engineering Group Co. Ltd. to build the solar farm.
MTerra Solar, which broke ground at its Gapan site in Nueva Ecija last month, is expected to provide clean and sustainable power to around 2.4 million households upon completion.
Be the first to comment