Aboitiz deep well facility shifts to full off-grid solar power
Balamban, Cebu—Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) Estate Water has achieved a significant milestone in operational efficiency and sustainability with the successful launch of its pilot solar deep well program. This initiative transitions its deep well facility in West Cebu Estate, an AIC Economic Estate, to a fully off-grid, solar-power system. The program integrates solar panels and a direct current (DC) solar water pump, enhancing the facility’s energy independence and environmental footprint.“Transitioning our deep well to solar power is a major step in our decarbonization journey. With the success of this pilot program, we plan to replicate it with our deep wells across all of our Estate Water facilities. By integrating renewable energy solutions, we are investing in a resilient and sustainable future for the businesses and communities we serve,” said Estate Water general manager Hazele Manalo.
The deep well’s 26.4 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar-power system and substantial battery capacity enable it to operate entirely off-grid, ensuring reliable and eco-friendly water supply even beyond sun hours. With a production capacity of 400 cubic meters per day during sun hours, it meets one-fourth of West Cebu Estate’s water demand. The remaining facilities are also envisaged to transition to off-grid solar power.
Considered the shipbuilding capital of the Philippines, West Cebu Estate in Balamban, Cebu, currently hosts 12 locators with 14,000 employees across 540 hectares. The AIC Economic Estate is a mixed-use development and Peza-registered zone with future development areas for commercial centers, dormitories, and residential communities.
AIC Estate Water provides end-to-end water and wastewater services to AIC Economic Estates in Batangas and Cebu, serving the growth needs of over 200 locators and their 100,000 employees across a 1,600-hectare estate footprint. Estate Water is expanding its services to support nearby communities.
“At AIC, we are developing transformative infrastructure ecosystems with interconnected operations that provide greater value to the businesses and communities we serve. Our Estate Water operations are an integral part of the enabling environment for locators in our Economic Estates,” said AIC head of water business Eduardo V. Aboitiz.
Reducing impact
“The implementation of our solar deep well program is the latest demonstration of AIC Water’s commitment to providing sustainable water for all. The sustainability initiatives we incorporate across our operations not only reduce our environmental impact but also ensure the resilience and reliability of our water services,” he added.
Last year, Estate Water implemented a solar panel project on its Sewage Treatment Plant 2 (STP2) in LIMA Estate, Lipa-Malvar, Batangas, effectively eliminating 100 tons of greenhouse gases annually. Its LIMA Water unit is also implementing SMART Water Network technology, significantly reducing the company’s resource consumption while further improving service reliability.
In addition, AIC’s water business Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. (Apo Agua) in Davao City is the first in Southeast Asia to adopt the water-energy nexus concept, which enables its facility to fully power itself with an integrated hydroelectric power plant. The same water that powers the facility is treated and then supplied to the Davao City Water District. —CONTRIBUTED
