A SOLAR-power system provider has installed a 20.5- kilowatt solar rooftop on one of Rustan Coffee Corp.’s Starbucks branches.
The Starbucks branch, located within Saint. Charbel Village on Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City, is the first-ever solar-powered Starbucks branch in Asia, according to Transnational Uyeno Solar Corp. (TUSC), a joint venture of Philippine conglomerate Transnational Diversified Group and Japan’s Uyeno Green Solutions.
“We have always been passionate about providing clean power across various institutions — whether it’s a school, factory or a home. There is always a way to reduce carbon footprints, and we at TUSC are committed to building a sustainable, clean and green world,” TUSC General Manager Jen Tablante said.
TUSC has installed its own solar plant, a 206.5-kilowatt peak solar car park, at the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy in Laguna.
It has also installed a 100-kWp solar rooftop for Republic Chemical Industries’s factory in Canlubang, 65 kWp for Saint Paul University Philippines, and a 14k-Wp solar-charging station on Boracay Island.
Solar power is already cheaper than grid power, Tablante said, adding that the attractive nature of solar power transcends many levels, and is highlighted by its efficiency and environmentalism.
With the capacity to displace expensive and rising grid electricity with clean and cost-effective power, a solar system is an investment that delivers cost savings over the long term.
“Solar power makes a lot of sense, especially in a country like the Philippines, which has a very high solar irradiance level, coupled with high electricity costs,” Tablante said.
“A solar PV system also has a cooling effect on buildings and gives off zero noise and zero pollutants, so you really reap multiple benefits from a single installation.”
