With the recent submission of the Annual Energy Efficiency and Conservation Report (AEECR) and Annual Energy Utilization Report to the Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) in compliance with Republic Act 11285 or the Energy Efficiency Conservation Act (EECA), the PLDT Group, which includes PLDT and its subsidiaries, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and ePLDT, reinforced its commitment to actively ensure responsible energy use.
The EECA was signed into law in 2019 and institutionalizes resourceful use of energy as well as grants incentives to projects that promote this advocacy.
Under the EECA and its implementing rules and regulations, designated establishments from the commercial, industrial and transport sectors are required to submit energy disclosures annually, with 2020 as the maiden reporting year. Designated establishments are those who meet the annual energy consumption threshold of 100,000 kilowatt hours and above.
The reports submitted to the DOE cover the Group’s over 10,000 cell sites and 200 offices, business centers, and data centers, and will serve as a baseline from which progress from energy efficiency initiatives will be measured.
The PLDT Group has identified energy efficiency as one of the key areas that will ensure sustainable operations in its delivery of its products and services, and has started to adopt initiatives that aim to reduce its energy consumption.
Smart recently announced its foray into fuel cell-powered sites, an environment-friendly alternative that will simultaneously address connectivity issues in challenged-grid areas nationwide. The system is based on methanol-powered fuel, which can be combined with solar, wind and other renewable resources to present a sustainable, cost-effective eco-system.
PLDT, on the other hand, has upgraded chillers in its facilities in Sampaloc, Ortigas and Dansalan to optimized oil-free versions. These provide the highest efficiencies and reliability by eliminating conventional challenges brought about by oil issues.
Chillers are the biggest single power consumer in any facility and typically consume 30% to 50% of a building’s power. The switch to oil-free magnetic bearing chillers eliminates the use of lubricating oil on chiller compressor bearings. This reduces bearing pressure, making the compressor more efficient and in turn, result in lower energy consumed. The magnetic bearing also ensures reduced mechanical maintenance. This means equipment life is not reduced by increased hours of operation. Savings estimated for the chiller replacement initiative can be up to 60%.
ePLDT, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) arm of PLDT, and which operates the group’s data center business, has also implemented various energy conservation programs. With data centers being heavy consumers of power, ePLDT has given deliberate focus to energy efficiency. Among its programs are the replacement of old high power consumption equipment with new and more efficient machines and the installation of blanking panels that improve air flow efficiency and cold aisle containment which helps in efficiently maintaining the required temperature within the server.
“As greenhouse gas emissions arise from energy consumed in the operation of our business, particularly by our network, our offices and data centers, and emissions from our transport vehicles, the PLDT Group aims to do its share in protecting the environment through energy efficiency programs that will result in reducing our carbon footprint," PLDT Chief Revenue Officer and Smart Communications President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio said.
"The PLDT Group is cognizant of its role in contributing to the preservation of the planet and is committed to ensuring the sustainability of our businesses including increased focus on energy efficiency in our operations,” Panlilio said.
PLDT and Smart’s push for energy efficiency is aligned with the group’s commitment to helping the Philippines attain the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG #13: Climate Action and SDG #7: Clean and Affordable Energy.
