First Gen Corp. has strengthened its partnership with WalterMart to develop seven additional solar rooftop power plants in malls across Luzon. The 11.4-megawatt peak (MWp) expansion is part of WalterMart’s effort to source a significant portion of its electricity from renewable energy.
The new installations are located at WalterMart malls in Candelaria, Quezon; Subic, Zambales; San Fernando City in Pampanga; Gapan, Nueva Ecija; Nasugbu, Batangas; Malolos, Bulacan; and Antipolo City in Rizal. These projects bring the company closer to its goal of using 20 percent of its requirements from solar power by the end of 2025.
“This partnership is a step toward sustainability, and we are proud to contribute to a cleaner future by reducing reliance on fossil fuels,” said Abraham Uy, WalterMart chairman.
WalterMart first collaborated with First Gen and its sister company Pi Energy in 2019, installing solar panels at a mall in Nasugbu, Batangas. The mall operator currently has 41 community malls nationwide using 12.3 MWp of solar power. By year-end, 25 WalterMart malls will use 27 MWP of solar power.
Mark Malabanan, assistant vice president for solar and key partners’ growth at Pi Energy, emphasized the growing scale and investment in the partnership. “In just five years, we’ve seen significant growth, reflecting WalterMart’s commitment to integrating renewable energy into its operations,” he said.
First Gen, with a total capacity of 3,668.2 MW, is a leader in renewable energy in the Philippines, using natural gas, geothermal, hydroelectric, wind, and solar technologies. The company plans to increase its capacity to 13,000 MW by 2030, with an investment of up to $20 billion.
