First Gen to supply RE to Sanyo Denki’s factories in Subic

MANILA, Philippines — Lopez-led First Gen Corp. is advancing the clean energy transition of another Japanese company, this time the Philippine operations of Tokyo-based Sanyo Denki Co. Ltd.

Sanyo Denki Philippines Inc. has tapped First Gen to energize its four manufacturing facilities, along with its technology center, at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales with 5,500 kilowatts (kW) of geothermal power.

The supply will come from First Gen unit Energy Development Corp.’s geothermal power plant in Negros Oriental.

The deal marks the first-ever partnership between the two firms, which Sanyo Denki Philippines president and CEO Hirokazu Takeuchi considered the “best way” to attain a goal of integrating renewable energy (RE) in their operations.

“We also believe it is our obligation to provide our customers with products that are produced using renewable energy,” he said.

Aside from the power supply, First Gen and its sister firm, Pi Energy Inc., will also provide Sanyo Denki Philippines with a remote energy monitoring system for real-time electricity usage tracking.

“Shifting a 24/7 operation to RE and rationalizing power consumption are challenges for manufacturing firms. It is our privilege to help enable and advise them on taking the next steps toward a more sustainable future for their operations,” First Gen chief engagement officer Carlo Vega said.

Established in 2000, Sanyo Denki Philippines manufactures uninterruptible power supply devices, photovoltaic inverters and stepping motors, among others.

Recently, First Gen partnered with the local unit of Japanese industrial gas manufacturer Nippon Sanso Holdings Group for the supply of geothermal power to the latter’s facility in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

First Gen was the country’s third-largest power producer at the end of last year, accounting for 13.22 percent of the national market share or about 3.58 million kW in capacity.

Currently, the company has 1,651 megawatts of installed RE capacity from solar, wind, hydro and geothermal plants, as well as 2,017 MW of capacity from gas-fired facilities.