New 600MW solar panel factory in the Philippines set to create 1,000 jobs

A 600-megawatt (MW) solar panel factory in Santo Tomas, Batangas in the Philippines is set to begin operations, marking the first time solar panels will be manufactured by a Filipino-owned company.

Solar Philippines said the factory will generate about 1,000 jobs and use high-end German equipment and high-efficiency Taiwanese cells.

In a statement, Solar Philippines President Leandro Leviste said the country can save Php50 billion to Php100 billion yearly once it can be demonstrated that solar with batteries can provide reliable power 24/7.

Vertical integration is the key to making solar cost-competitive like in other countries where solar is already cheaper than coal and natural gas,Leviste said.

“We encourage other power companies to join this transition into a solar-powered future, which represents a historic opportunity for the Philippine power industry to remake our generation infrastructure and accelerate the advent of sustainable energy worldwide,” he added.

Solar Philippines said it will announce a partnership with a leading global solar manufacturer in time to support the company’s 2017 projects, including a 50-MW panel in Batangas and Cavite, which will supply the country’s largest electrical power distributor Manila Electric Company (Meralco) under a recently signed agreement. Another project is a 150-MW panel in Tarlac, the country’s first battery-equipped solar farm to supply power at rates lower than fossil fuel.