CITY OF SAN FERNAN – DO – No Guinness-ap – proval as yet but none – theless a record was set Monday by Robinsons Starmills Pampanga for the world’s largest solar rooftop installation on a mall.
Installed by Solener – gy Systems Inc., the so – lar power facility at the Gokongwei-owned mall comprises 10, 880 solar panels covering 1.75 hect – ares of roof space. The so lar array will harness more than 2.88 megawatts of power during peak hours, offsetting up to 95 percent of daytime demands of the mall.
The facility is seen to cut carbon dioxide emis – sion by 2.25 million kilo – grams – comparable to the planting of 100,000 trees or removing 5.5 mil – lion miles worth of carbon emissions by a car, ac – cording to Tom Pebbles of Solenergy Phil.
For his part, Freder – ick Go, president of Rob – insons Land Corp. said: “The sprawling design of Robinsons Starmills and the wide open surround – ing space make it ideal for a large scale solar power facility.”
Go cited solar ener – gy as “not only sustain – able, but also renewable” even as he noted contin – ual advancements in solar panel technology which raises the efficiency and lowers the cost of produc – tion thereby making solar plants even more cost effective.
Furthered Go: “So – lar power facilities also require minimal mainte – nance, do not generate any noise, and produce no emission as they con – sistently produce energy for at least 25 years.”
As added bonus, Go said solar panels act as shield against the heat of the sun, making the mall cooler and lowering its en – ergy consumption.
“With these solar facil – ities, Robinsons Land is showing its commitment to the environment by building a greener future and helping in the reduc – tion of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” said Go.
Aside from Robinsons Starmills Pampanga, Rob – insons Angeles is also in – stalled with a solar power facility which, Go said, “is our way of giving back to the community and con – tributing to local govern – ment’s similar thrust of helping the environment.”
“As a responsible cor – porate citizen, Robinsons Land is continuously looking for ways to adopt sus – tainable practices and minimize its carbon foot – print by steadily shifting to the use of renewable en – ergy,” Go said.
Leading the ceremonial switching of the solar power facility at Robin – sons Starmills were Gov. Lilia Pineda, Department of Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada, City of San Fernando Mayor Ed – win Santiago and Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin and Go.
