(FILE PHOTO) Solar Panels 
BUSINESS

Oakridge, FGen expand solar partnership

Since we started Oakridge Business Park in 2009, we have gradually made it part of our mission to push for sustainable solutions to help the environment

Maria Bernadette Romero

Oakridge Realty Development Corp. (ORDC) has expanded its partnership with First Gen Corp. with a new agreement to install a 638-kilowatt-peak rooftop solar power facility at Oakridge Business Park in Mandaue City, Cebu.  

Under their renewed agreement, First Gen and its sister firm Pi Energy Inc. will also provide Oakridge with a remote energy monitoring system, allowing real-time tracking of electricity usage and regular energy audits to improve efficiency.  

“Since we started Oakridge Business Park in 2009, we have gradually made it part of our mission to push for sustainable solutions to help the environment,” ORDC president Anne Liu said over the weekend. 

“We would like to believe that the impact of our initiatives has not only led to an improved carbon footprint but has also significantly influenced the lifestyle and more importantly, has instilled a more conscious mindset in the communities we serve.”

4-year partnership

First Gen has been supplying Oakridge with renewable energy since 2021, initially through a natural gas-fired power plant before shifting to geothermal energy in 2023. 

The business park, spanning four hectares, is the first in Cebu to be fully powered by renewable energy and to offer EV charging stations and solar-powered charging points for mobile devices.  

“It is always a privilege to collaborate with companies who share a concern for the environment and want to do more to reduce their carbon footprint. We started the decarbonization journey with Oakridge with low-carbon power supply from natural gas, and we’re proud to have been with them all these years as they transitioned to 100 percent RE,” First Gen chief engagement officer Carlo Vega said.  

ORDC is the real estate arm of Cebu-based LH Paragon Group Inc., which operates businesses across fashion retail, healthcare, wood distribution, and food services. 

First Gen, on the other hand, owns and operates 28 RE plants with a combined 1,651 megawatts of capacity, alongside 2,017 MW of natural gas-fired capacity.