TMP taps green-backed electricity supplier

Starting 26 December 2023, Toyota Motor Philippines' manufacturing plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna, will only be using electricity that is generated by renewable energy sources.

To make this possible, the country's leading mobility company and automotive manufacturer has signed a retail supply contract with TeaM (Philippines) Energy Corporation to provide green-backed electricity for its manufacturing operations.

TeaM (Philippines) Energy Corporation pioneered the retailing of electricity in the Philippines, having been engaged in the Energy Supply business since 2001. It supplies the power needs of electric utilities, economic zones, and industrial end-users.

Together with an existing 1.46-megawatt rooftop solar power system that supplies 10 percent of TMP's electricity, the deal will allow the Santa Rosa plant to achieve 100-percent renewable energy ratio, which not only will reduce carbon emissions but also help in reducing the strain on the power grid (that could result in massive blackouts).

Based on the retail supply contract, every megawatt hour TMP will use will be backed by an International Renewable Energy Certificate or I-REC(E), which verifies its sourcing from a domestic renewable energy plant

"This energy transition will neutralize TMP's Scope 2 Emissions or the indirect carbon dioxide emissions from purchased electricity for manufacturing operations.

"Such is a significant milestone for TMP and its mission to address climate change, making its automotive manufacturing plant in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, the front-runner and early achiever of 100-percent renewable energy ratio target for Toyota in the ASEAN region," said TMP president Atsuhiro Okamoto.

TMP is geared toward decarbonizing the rest of its energy sources for manufacturing, particularly generators that use gasoline fuel, ovens, and boilers for painting processes by 2035.

In 2020, Global Toyota set its target for all its manufacturing plants to be carbon-neutral by 2035 under the company's overall Net Zero commitment, better known as the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050.

Doing their part in fulfilling the TEC 2050 in the Philippines, local Toyota suppliers and dealers have followed TMP's lead and implemented energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives.

To date, several companies also have undertakings to achieve 100-percent renewable energy ratio, either by investing in onsite solar power facility or procuring renewable energy through the Philippine government's Green Energy Option Program or GEOP.

These companies include Denso Ten Philippines Corporation, Hino Motors Philippines Corporation, Denso Philippines Corporation, and International Wiring Systems Philippines for suppliers, as well as Toyota Global City, Toyota Mabolo City, and Toyota Pasong Tamo for the dealerships.

In terms of compliance with strict environmental standards, Toyota suppliers and all established Toyota dealers nationwide (including Lexus Manila) are certified under ISO 14001, as part of Toyota environmental management systems' (Toyota Green Purchasing Guidelines and Asia Pacific Eco-Dealership Program) mandates.