First Philec, Meralco eye decarbonization schemes

BY LENIE LECTURA – JUNE 6, 2022
from Business Mirror

First Philec Inc. of the Lopez Group and Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) are closely working together on next-generation solutions to help decarbonize the local power industry.

During the First Philec-Meralco Sustainability Conference, both companies discussed their shared vision of a sustainable and reliable power grid. These include the supply chain, digital transformation, and the launch of alternative products and services.

Meralco, for its part, is pursuing the Smart Grid Project as part of efforts to improve the reliability and resiliency of the grid, empower customers, and integrate sustainability into the system. First Philec, Southeast Asia’s largest high-efficiency distribution transformer manufacturer, launched last year a green transformer model made from recyclable and biodegradable materials.

First Philec’s Head of Customer Development Luis Trinidad said the main objective of the conference was to co-create and co-develop strategies and solutions that address sustainability challenges in the grid.

“By sharing information about our respective programs, the conference helped to align and support these programs, hopefully, for fast-tracking implementation.

The approaches and initiatives that we tackled at the conference, including those in the pipeline, may comprise the next generation decarbonization solutions of both First Philec and Meralco,” Trinidad said.

According to Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Networks Ronnie Aperocho, Meralco’s vision of the Grid of the Future has the capability to “self-heal” and operate resiliently against natural disasters and attacks.

Also, Meralco First Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Raymond Ravelo said a smart and sustainable grid can safely and seamlessly tap distributed energy resources, such as renewables and energy storage systems, aside from allowing customers to actively participate in vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-home, and other energy efficiency programs.