NELTEX Development Co. Inc. has tapped Energy Development Corp. (EDC) to provide power for its production facility in Cavite.

EDC will supply geothermal energy to the country’s largest manufacturer of plastic-pipe solutions. It will be sourced from EDC’s Bacon-Manito Geothermal project in the Bicol region.

With its partnership with EDC, Neltex aims to make its production sustainable and safe for the environment, making it the first in the industry to be powered by renewable energy. Geothermal energy is the only renewable-energy source that is baseload, which means it can run uninterrupted 24/7. It is not affected by the weather, so it can produce power whether it rains or shines.

Neltex produces PVC pipes by using only organic-based stabilizers (OBS) and by using lead-free sustainable materials, making it Southeast Asia’s biggest PVC-OBS site. These pipes are used to bring water from reservoirs to homes and businesses, and they are used to carry wastewater from toilets to sewer-treatment plants.

The EDC is one of the world’s largest geothermal producers and the country’s leading renewable-energy company with an installed capacity of 1,471.8 megawatts (MW).

The EDC is a subsidiary of the First Gen Corp., the country’s largest clean-energy company, with a portfolio that includes natural gas, geothermal, solar, wind and hydro.

First Gen and EDC were recently named among the world’s top 200 biggest and greenest companies.

Called the Carbon Clean 200, the list ranks companies according to the size of their revenues from clean-energy sources.

First Gen ranked 113th with estimated clean-energy revenues of $632 million in 2017, while EDC occupied the 139th slot with estimated clean-energy revenues of $494.72 million.

The ranking based on the third quarter of 2018 marked the third time EDC and the first time First Gen were included on the Carbon Clean 200.

Apart from making the list, EDC also holds the distinction of being a carbon-negative company. This means the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) it absorbs is far more than the level of CO2 it produces.

On an annual basis, the EDC helps the country avoid 6.7 million tons of CO2 emissions through its pure renewable-energy operations and comprehensive watershed-management program.