First Philippine Holdings eyes solar power investment in Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines – Lopez-owned First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPHC) is looking at the possibility of investing in the solar panel manufacturing business in Malaysia.

FPHC chairman Oscar Lopez said this could be done in collaboration with Sun Power Corp. 

It should be noted that FPHC’s subsidiary, First Philec Solar Corp. has an existing partnership with Sun Power, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-efficiency silicon solar cells and products.

“We have been invited to extend our collaboration with Sun Power to their newer and much larger plant that they are developing in Malaysia,” Lopez said.

Although he did not elaborate on what kind of collaboration it would be, Lopez said the invitation of Sun Power for another possible partnership in an international venture is an indication of the latter’s confidence in First Philec.

First Philec, he said, has began providing wafer-slicing services for the solar energy industry and has been quickly met  the operating and quality standards required by Sun Power.

“This again, is a demonstration of our commitment to the development of alternative, clean and renewable sources of energy,” Lopez said, adding that “the upside potential of this manufacturing venture will be constrained only by our ability to keep up with the growth in the solar energy industry.

In June last year, First Philec entered into a joint venture with Sun Power to put up a $76-million wafer-slicing plant at the First Philippine Industrial Park. 

First Philec is an 80-20 joint venture project of First Philippine Electric Corp. (First Philec) with Sun Power Manufacturing Ltd. (SPML). 

FPSC is the holding company of the manufacturing businesses of First Holdings, while SPML is a subsidiary of SunPower Corp. (SunPower) of the United States.  

Sun Power designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency solar electric technology in the world today. 

Aside from solar, the Lopez group is also involved in the development of other renewable energy sources such as geothermal, hydro and wind energy development projects.