“I was convinced to go solar because of the company that was behind it: Meralco. I knew that we were dealing with a serious player in the industry,” said Edmund Chiongson, President of Torre del Oro, a company that leases out buildings and warehouses to manufacturing companies engaged in export.
“On top of our responsibility of being environmentally-friendly, I wanted our tenant partners to have a more competitive electrical cost than others,” he said. “We wanted to explore the use of solar energy, which is why we consulted Meralco Biz Partners.”
Meralco Biz Partners group is a segment dedicated to helping small and medium enterprises turn their vision into reality by providing various energy solutions that allow them to sustain and improve their operations.
Prior to the pandemic, Chiongson was already in talks with a Meralco Biz Partner Manager for their solar energy requirements. When the pandemic struck, however, everything ground to a halt. But Chiongson was adamant to move things forward with Meralco, no matter how difficult it takes.
Back on track
When restrictions were loosened, Chiongson resumed talks with Meralco and their subsidiary, Spectrum, so they can proceed with the solar panel installation. After consulting Spectrum—a solar power company built with Meralco’s energy expertise and service standards—he decided to implement the project in phases.
They began with the installation of solar panels in their facilities located at the Light Industry & Science Park III in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. After seeing the promising results, they began to explore the installation of solar panels in their other buildings. According to Chiongson, adding solar power to their facilities allows them to offer more competitive lease rates for their tenants, while contributing to their corporate responsibility of becoming more environmentally friendly.
“As we understand more the benefits of solar power, we’re quickly convinced that it can be a standard feature in our facilities,” he explained.
Chiongson added: “The solar project offers a product warranty ranging from 10 to 25 years, and I have to make sure that the people we are dealing with will still be in the industry by that time—and with Meralco and Spectrum, I am sure of it.”
The future looks bright with solar
With the current business environment, Chiongon realized it was a good time to review the steps that can be taken to reduce costs.
“The idea was to implement several solar panel installation projects even with three to five percent savings per project. If we will be successful with these projects, then we will already have around 20 percent cost savings. That is definitely a lot,” Chiongson pointed out.
Aside from being a way to cut costs, going solar, Chiongson said, “encompasses our social responsibility.” He noted that due to climate change, it is our responsibility as individuals to promote green energy as an alternative energy source to reduce our carbon waste.
Beyond the prospect of savings and social responsibility, Chiongson is convinced that he made the right decision to bank on renewable energy by virtue of his partnership with a highly-trusted energy solutions partner.
“I never questioned the numbers that were presented to me before I made my decision. In fact, I have already introduced the Meralco team to several friends of mine.”