When SM inaugurated its solar panel generating facility with a capacity of 1.5 megawatts or 1,500 kilowatts at one of its buildings at SM North in Quezon City last November 24, the thought came to many who are worried about the impending power shortage this summer of 2015: What if more companies in the country set up similar facilities, so they could provide some of their own energy needs?
 
A shortage of 300 megawatts is expected in Luzon this coming summer, according to the Department of Energy, for which the administration has asked Congress for emergency powers to enable it to make arrangements for additional private power plant generation facilities.
 
Since that first announcement last month of an impending shortage, there have been welcome reports of a new 13-megawatt solar power plant opening in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, and the start of operation of three wind farms in Ilocos Norte, with a combined capacity of 260 megawatts.
 
SM’s facility, consisting of solar panels installed on the roof of one of its buildings, will help it meet its own needs and thus lessen its demand from the Luzon grid. It also has plans for SM Dasmarinas in Cavite and Mall of Asia in Pasay City. If, between now and the summer of 2015, other companies with similar available roof space and readiness to make an investment in the future could follow SM’s example, the total additional power from these renewable resources would be more than enough to offset the projected 300-megawatt shortage this summer. There might be no need for the emergency power sought by the President.
 
The Department of Energy’s warning has caused many sectors to consider plans to make use of our country’s rich renewable power resources. One low-cost housing developer in Batangas, in partnership with a Belgian firm which is providing the technology, is setting up a low-cost housing development whose units are provided with roof-top solar panels.
 
Many long-established buildings and homes in the country could be similarly equipped. For their own interest as power users and to help in the overall effort to meet our country’s growing power demands, other companies and other groups could study the SM example and apply it to their own needs.