THE Cebu-based Belmont Group signed last Thursday, February 13, an agreement with First Gen Corporation (First Gen) for the supply of clean and renewable energy to its commercial complex in Minglanilla town.
Officials of the two companies held a ceremonial signing of the agreement for First Gen to provide the 3.5-hectare Belmont One commercial complex with 750 kilowatts of sustainable power from a geothermal source. The complex hosts Anjo World Theme Park, the first and largest integrated family entertainment complex in the whole of the Visayas and Mindanao. Its tenants also include retail stores and dining spaces, as well as facilities for conferences and other big events.
Chester Lim, President of Anjo World and Belmont One, said the complex currently consumes about 600 kilowatts of power and First Gen will be providing 100 percent of their power requirement with room for growth as more locations sign up for the complex.
“Sustainability is part of our roadmap because this is the way to go. We are all just administrators in this world. What is important is we leave something to our next generation that is sustainable,” Lim said in a press conference after the signing.
“Theme parks consume a significant amount of power, not to mention the environmental impact of its operations. But they also contribute significantly to the local economy. Through our partnership with Belmont One, we are helping the Anjo World Theme Park shift to cleaner electricity,” said Arlene Sy, Head of Power Sales and Marketing at First Gen.
While Lim said cost savings are not significant, “the impact of helping the environment is more than the savings.”
“We are committed to continuous innovation and the adoption of more efficient, forward-thinking solutions in our operations. Since January 2016, we have been actively pursuing renewable energy initiatives and exploring ways to increase our reliance on stable, sustainable power sources. By transitioning to renewable energy, we are not only optimizing our energy costs but also making significant strides toward achieving our sustainability goals and minimizing our environmental impact,” Lim said.
Aside from the power supply, First Gen, together with its sister company Pi Energy Inc., will provide Belmont One with a remote energy monitoring system that will enable real-time data checking of electricity usage, particularly for the theme park and other retail areas.
First Gen has a fleet of 28 power plants generating up to 1,651 megawatts (MW) of power electricity from solar, wind, hydro and geothermal facilities, which are all renewable. First Gen also has another 2,017 MW of capacity from four other power plants that run on natural gas, a bridge fuel that offers flexible power generation positioned to support the introduction of more intermittent RE in the country. Combined, the 3,668-MW capacity of these First Gen power plants helps assure the country’s energy security. (With a Press Release)