Cleantech, SunAsia launch solar farm in Pangasinan

MANILA, Philippines — The tandem of CleanTech Global Renewables Inc. and SunAsia Energy Inc. have switched on a 20-megawatt peak (MWp) solar farm that will power up parts of Pangasinan with clean power.

One Manaoag Solar Corp., the partnership between Cleantech and SunAsia, has energized the 20-MWp solar power project after full-swing construction began last February.

Located in a 28-hectare property in Sta. Barbara in Pangasinan, the project consists of 49,672 solar panels and six inverters.

With its completion, the project will have the capacity to generate 32.5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually, displacing 19,500 more tons of CO2 emissions while powering around 16,000 households per year.

“Pangasinan is that part of the country that enjoys very high irradiation compared to the rest of the country so it made commercial sense to build a project in Pangasinan, particularly in Dagupan. This project will turn into kilowatt-hours and will turn into revenues for Cleantech,” SunAsia Energy president Theresa “Tetchi” Capellan said during the switch-on ceremony yesterday.

Cleantech and SunAsia closed the deal to develop the solar farm in June 2019 and the project reached financial close in September 2021 with a loan agreement with the Philippine Business Bank.

A notice to proceed was issued in November 2021 and full swing construction commenced in February this year.

“After two years into the pandemic, the energization of this project has finally happened,” Capellan said.

OneManaoag Solar has a 25-year energy supply agreement with Dagupan Electric Corp., Cleantech CEO Salvador Antonio Castro said in the same event.

The supply contract was awarded to the solar project in September 2014 and a power purchase agreement was signed in January 2016, which secured regulatory approval a year after.

Capellan said this is the first commercial solar plant submitted for review and approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) post-Feed in Tariff (FIT) regime.

Dagupan Electric serves the light and power services in the cities and municipalities of Dagupan, Calasiao, San Fabian, Sta. Barbara, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Barangay Cruz and Bolingit of San Carlos City in Pangasinan.

Cleantech said the detailed engineering design for the project was provided by Renesource Renewables.