January 15, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz Upgrade Solar Inc. (AUSI) is constructing a solar facility in Bulacan to supply clean power to cement maker Republic Cement & Building Materials Inc. (RCBM).
AUSI, a joint venture between Aboitiz Power Corp. and Upgrade Energy Philippines (UGEP), has signed a long-term power purchase deal with RCBM for a ground-mounted solar project within the latter’s facility in the municipality of Norzagaray.
Under the agreement, AUSI will cover the upfront capital investment and manage the operation of the project, while RCBM will exclusively purchase the generated energy to power its cement plant.
The solar facility is scheduled for completion in the second half of the year, although further details such as its capacity and project cost have yet to be disclosed.
“This partnership is a major milestone in our shared vision of utilizing renewable energy to fuel industrial development,” AUSI chairperson Ruth Yu-Owen said.
The company, Yu-Owen said, remains committed to offering “sustainable and efficient energy solutions that address the energy needs of businesses while supporting the Philippines’ transition to renewable energy.”
AUSI combines the expertise and resources of AboitizPower and UGEP to build and operate distributed solar projects for large commercial and industrial consumers across the country.
This latest partnership is expected to enable RCBM to achieve long-term operational savings and lower its carbon footprint.
“By integrating solar energy into our operations, we take a decisive step toward reducing emissions and contributing to a more sustainable Philippines,” Republic Cement Services CEO Roman Menz said.
Established in 1955, the Republic Cement Group supplies cement and building materials to the local market to meet the demand for high-quality construction materials.
With five cement plants and one grinding station, the group boasts of a total cement capacity of 9.7 million tons per year.
For his part, AboitizPower first vice president and retail head James Yu believes the strategic deal with RCBM sets a “new benchmark for solar adoption in the industrial sector.”
“By bridging AUSI’s expertise in delivering innovative energy solutions and Republic Cement’s sustainability goals, we are creating a blueprint for how renewable energy solutions can power the Philippines’ industrial future,” Yu said.
As the energy arm of the Aboitiz Group, AboitizPower wants to expand its renewable capacity to 4,600 megawatts over the next five years. The company’s portfolio includes over 1,000 MW of disclosed projects from various indigenous energy sources.
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