Charting a low-carbon future

MANILA, Philippines — Even as power companies work to avert a looming power crisis in the Philippines, reliable power remains a challenge even for provinces that already have access to electricity.

Over the decades, the imbalance in power supply has contributed to the uneven spread of investments and development between our regions. Many provinces lag behind due to unstable power supply. More importantly, many Filipinos still live without the benefit of sufficient power every day. 

Very soon, all this will change with the completion of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGP) by 2021 to 2022, of 31 new Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facilities nationwide, with a total target capacity of 1,000 megawatts. This project represents the company's most significant contribution yet to support a low-carbon future. 

SMCGP's BESS technology will support the country’s fragile power grid by removing excess power and injecting required power at strategic areas within the grid within milliseconds—ensuring power quality is maintained and reaches users all over the country.

This means faraway provinces and islands can have the same stable and good quality supply of power and equal opportunities for economic growth.

But equally significant is how this pioneering foray into BESS technology will pave the way for the integration of renewable power—generated from intermittent sources such as solar and wind—into the grid. With this, renewable power becomes a more viable option as a power source for the country.

In the next couple of years, SMCGP estimates the integration of up to 3000 MW of renewable power into the grid, due largely to its BESS facilities. 

With its thrust now of focusing its capacity expansion on renewable sources such as solar and hydroelectric power, as well as cleaner alternatives to coal such as liquefied natural gas, the next decade will see SMCGP continuing to adapt and innovate to meet the needs of our country, and the world.