Robinsons Starmills Pampanga now holds the title of the world's largest solar rooftop installation on a shopping mall as it switched on its solar-powered facility on May 29, 2016.
Aiming to provide clean and environment-friendly energy source, the Gokongwei-led property developer Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) has inaugurated its solar-powered mall with a 2.88-megawatt solar power plant atop the shopping hub in San Fernando, Pampanga. The facility records carbon dioxide emission by 2.25 million kilograms, which is equivalent to planting of approximately 100,000 trees or removing roughly 5.5 million miles worth of vehicular carbon emissions.
Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda, Department of Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada and San Fernando City Mayor Edwin Santiago lead the inauguration with the presence of RLC President Frederick Go.
Consisting of 10,880 solar panels covering 1.75 hectares of roof space, the solar-powered plant, which is expected to produce 95 percent of daytime energy consumption of the mall, was made possible through Soloenergy Systems Inc.
During its first full year of operation, the solar array will generate almost 4 million kilowatt-hour of energy.
RLC opted for rooftop solar power facilities over other forms of renewable energy sources because of the increasing efficiency of the solar power technology and lowering production cost. In addition, solar power facilities require very little maintenance, they do not generate noise and solar power plants produce no emissions.
“The sprawling design of Robinsons Starmills and the wide open surrounding space make it ideal for a large scale solar power facility,” said Go.
"With these solar facilities, Robinsons Land is showing its commitment to the environment by building a greener future and helping in the reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," Go added.
Go also mentioned that they intend to eventually run all of RLC's 41 shopping malls on solar panels, noting that there is a global trend to shift to the use or renewable energy sources.
Robinson Starmills thus set a new record for having the biggest solar plant on its rooftop, beating SM City North with it 1.5-MW solar panels which was inaugurated in 2014.
Photo: Inquirer
Source: Inquirer Sun Star Pampanga
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