JEG Tower gets 37kWp rooftop solar panel

PROPERTY developer JEG Development Corp. (JDC) and Vivant COREnergy Inc. are pushing forward their goal of achieving sustainability through renewable energy with the launching of the first solar-powered commercial building in Cebu City.

A 37kWp (kilowatt peak) rooftop solar panel was recently installed at the 22-story JEG Tower @ One Acacia to power daytime energy demand.

This grid-tied solar project is expected to produce 77MWhr of energy annually while avoiding 30 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission each year.

In a virtual conference on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, JDC chief operating officer Marko Sarmiento said the firm stays committed to its aspiration to the green movement in the real estate industry and the installation of the solar panels is one step in achieving the company’s net-zero emissions.

“The net zero goal is obviously always ambitious, but it’s on our radar, we haven’t set the timetable for it but this is a small step forward in achieving it,” Sarmiento said.

According to netzeroclimate.org, “to ‘go net zero’ is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or to ensure that any ongoing emissions are balanced by removals.” Net zero is the internationally agreed-upon goal for mitigating global warming in the second half of the century.

JEG Tower utilizes 93 units of 405Wp Canadian Solar PV modules and 27kW SolarEdge Grid-tied Inverter. The building is fueled by a 37 kWp Grid-tied Solar PV System designed to offset the electricity consumed from the grid by converting the available solar energy to serve daytime energy demand.

The solar panels power the ground floor up to the sixth-floor common area of the tower.

Under the 20-year power purchase agreement between JDC and COREnergy, the latter will shoulder the solar panel installations while the former will purchase the power produced.

The JEG Tower solar project is the fifth operating distributed solar project of COREnergy in Cebu. The project represents the continuing efforts of the organization to support the growth of Cebuano companies by helping businesses manage their operating expenses through optimized electricity costs.

“COREnergy, as the platform through which Vivant supports large power consumers, recognizes JEG’s aspiration to be an industry leader that will help transform Cebu through sustainable real estate development,” said Al Douglas Villaos, COREnergy president. “We aim to support the realization of this aspiration by delivering world-class energy solutions to JEG,” he added.

COREnergy Inc. is owned by Vivant Energy Corp., a subsidiary of Vivant Corp., which engages in the power generation, distribution and retail electricity supply business. (EHP with KOC)