Shell’s former Tabangao refinery now hosts solar facility
Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) has begun operating its solar farm in its former oil refinery in Tabangao, Batangas City and is now supplying power to the complex, which has been converted into an import terminal.
The solar farm, which forms part of the Tabangao facility’s integrated energy system, has produced over 84,000 kilowatt hours since its commissioning last December, said PSPC President and CEO Cesar Romero.
Shell initially said that the integrated energy system is seen to produce around 2,400 megawatts, which could power and improve energy efficiency to over 850 homes.
A total of 5,220 panels make up the Tabangao solar farm with a peak capacity of 1.8 MW DC (direct current). The solar farm will support ten percent of the import terminal’s annual power requirement and may reach up to 45% in the summer months.
PSPC closed the refinery in 2020, as it was deemed unprofitable to operate.
Despite this, Romero said that the Shell companies in the Philippines (SciP) is committed to placing more investments in the country by diversifying its portfolio.
One of SciP’s new ventures is Shell Energy Philippines (SEPH), which focuses on clean energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers. SEPH currently has a pending application with the Department of Energy for the building of a liquefied natural gas facility, also in Batangas.
Source : powerphilippines
