ACEN eyes P16-B battery storage for its largest solar farm in PHL

RENEWABLE ENERGY developer ACEN Corp. plans to construct a 2,000-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) to provide a stable power supply from its largest solar farm in the Philippines.

SanMar Solar, Inc., a subsidiary of ACEN, aims to integrate the BESS into the 585-megawatt (MW) SanMar Solar project in Zambales, according to the company’s filing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The energy storage system is projected to cost P15.88 billion and will be built on the southern section of the 10-hectare solar plant.

“The construction and installation of the BESS will be undertaken within the area already covered by the approved ECC (environmental compliance certificate), and no additional land or expansion beyond the existing ECC coverage will be required,” the company said.

A BESS stores energy generated from a power facility and can supply electricity to the grid during periods of insufficient supply or peak demand.

SanMar said the proposed project will also deliver ancillary services to the grid operator to support the reliable operation of the transmission system.

“Without availability of ancillary services, the stability of the transmission capacity and the quality, reliability, and security of the power grid may be compromised,” the company said.

Currently, around 385 MW of the solar plant is operational, while 200 MW is under construction and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2027.

The BESS project is scheduled for commercial operation by the first quarter of 2028 to harness capacity from the solar farm and supply it to the grid.

A public scoping activity for the project is scheduled on March 16. This early stage of the environmental impact assessment process allows the project proponent to present an overview of the development and gather issues and concerns from stakeholders.

The SanMar Solar expansion is part of ACEN’s 7.1-gigawatt renewable energy portfolio.

Beyond the Philippines, ACEN also has operations in Australia, Vietnam, India, and Lao PDR, along with strategic investments in Indonesia and other markets. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera