Carmen Copper Corporation has officially launched the Philippines’ first operating megawatt-scale floating solar power facility, located on the Malubog Reservoir within its mine site in Toledo City, Cebu.

The 3-hectare facility has 8,540 floating solar panels capable of generating up to 4.99 megawatts (MW) of clean energy. This is sufficient enough to meet 10% of the mine’s power requirements. The system, designed and built by U.S.-based infrastructure firm Black & Veatch, is scalable to 50 MW, which would be enough to fully power the mining operation using only renewable energy.

The project also includes a prefabricated substation and a 6-kilometer overhead distribution line, which connects the floating solar array to Carmen Copper’s 34.5-kilovolt (kV) substation. Construction was completed in 15 months, with over 250,000 man-hours logged and no lost-time injuries, according to the company.

“This initiative reflects Carmen Copper’s commitment to responsible mining and environmental stewardship, while aligning with the Department of Energy’s target to have renewable energy account for at least half of the country’s total power capacity by 2040,” said Atty. Axel G. Tumulak, Head of Legal, Compliance, and Corporate Governance.

Carmen Copper is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation.

The company said the floating PV system is part of its broader sustainability goals and efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of its mining operations.

Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join our Viber community for more updates.