The race for domination in the renewable energy sector is on full swing.

A 19.8-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Barangay Pesa, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, built by MGEN Renewable Energy Inc. (MGreen), the renewable energy arm of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN), is ready to add clean energy to the national grid.

MGreen said Wednesday the newly inaugurated MGreen Bongabon Solar plant is the first project under the Department of Energy’s (DoE) second Green Energy Auction program to be completed ahead of schedule — at least six months earlier than planned.

“More than just a solar power plant, MGreen Bongabon Solar is about creating opportunities, reducing our carbon footprint, and setting a new standard for renewable energy initiatives in our country,” MGreen president and CEO Dennis B. Jordan said.

MGreen Bongabon Solar can power at least 20,000 households and establishments, contributing to the DoE’s goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s power mix to 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

Based on the Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, the plant is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 19,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to the carbon sequestration of approximately 211 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.

Positive impact underscored

Bongabon Mayor Ricardo Padilla welcomed the development, highlighting its positive impact on the local community.

“We are thankful to all of you because our people in Barangay Pesa will have employment opportunities, which is important for us,” he said.

As with MGEN’s other energy projects, hiring qualified and skilled residents remains a priority to ensure that economic benefits are directly felt by local communities.

The inauguration was attended by officials from the DoE, the Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, which will facilitate the plant’s integration into the grid.

Separately, Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan cited the long-term impact of the project, stating that “the local barangay will be getting most of the benefits of this project.”

“We want to make sure that the project you have installed will continue for at least the next 20 years,” Marasigan said.

Commissioning of the Bongabon solar plant supports MGEN’s target of developing up to 1,500 MW of attributable renewable energy capacity by 2030.

This year alone, the company plans to add 85.2 MWac of solar capacity to its portfolio, including a new solar plant in Cordon, Isabela and the expansion of an existing facility in Baras, Rizal.

To date, the company remains on track to complete Phase 1 of the MTerra Solar project in Nueva Ecija next year, which is set to become the world’s largest integrated solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system.