Yamaha Philippines rolls out solar power system

MOTORCYLE BRAND Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc. energized on Monday its 170-kilowatt peak (kWp) solar rooftop photovoltaic system on its administration building in Malvar, Batangas. 

Arnel Recolizado, Yamaha Motor Philippines general manager for production engineering, said during the launch event at Lima Technology Center that the solar rooftop project is part of the environmental plan 2050 of the global Yamaha Group.

“This is a very important milestone for us to start our renewable energy initiative,” Mr. Recolizado said.

The solar project was done under a partnership between Yamaha Motor Philippines and Excell Energy and PowerGen Corp., which is a unit of licensed retail electricity supplier Mabuhay Energy Corp.

According to Yamaha, the solar rooftop system placed on its administration building can generate up to 216 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year and will allow the company to reduce its electricity bills and carbon footprint.

“The solar rooftop system’s levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is P2.27 per kilowatt hour (kWh) which is way below the current grid rate of about P11 to 14 per kWh,” Yamaha said.   

“In terms of environmental contributions, the utilization of the system will avoid the burning of 70 metric tons of coal per year and eliminate approximately 140 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of planting about 1,951 trees per year,” the company added.

Yamaha Motor Philippines President Hiroshi Koike said that the capacity of the solar project will be expanded by 1 MW next year.

“Our goal is not just to save on costs but more importantly, to curb carbon emissions. As a global company, we are very conscious about our role and impact to the society and the environment,” he said.

“While still relatively small, it somehow allows us to already realize our vision of contributing to Yamaha Group Environmental Plan 2050. This is just the beginning.  By next year, the capacity will be expanded by 1 MW,” he added.

Sherwin Hing, Excell Energy chairman and chief executive officer, said that the project has been completed without any accidents and interruptions.

“Confidently, we are proud to say that the project has been completed without any accidents and interruptions whilst closely adhering to Yamaha’s installation standards. It has also passed the critical parameters for grid connection. We thank Yamaha for the trust and look forward to strengthening our partnership,” he said.

In 2021, Yamaha Motor Philippines finished a P2.6-billion expansion plan aimed at solidifying its market stronghold and contribute to the country’s economic growth. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave