_{^{In photo: (L-R) SteelAsia Executive Vice President and Co-COO Pek Hoong Chong, SteelAsia Executive Vice Chair Andre Sy, Buskowitz Energy CEO James Carlos Buskowitz, and Buskowitz Energy VP Sales and Business Development Henry Layug during the ceremonial contract signing for the rooftop solar power project for SteelAsia’s mill in Compostela, Cebu. / SteelAsia}}

SteelAsia Manufacturing Corporation has tapped Buskowitz Energy to develop an 8-megawatt peak (MWp) rooftop solar project at its Compostela Works facility in Cebu, in what is set to become the largest single-roof solar installation in Philippine heavy industry.

According to a company announcement, the project will cover about 65,560 square meters of roof space and will install 12,888 solar panels and 54 inverters. Once completed, it is expected to generate around 12,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually, supplying approximately 25% of the plant’s total power demand.

Completion is targeted by November 2026.

“Steel plays a critical role in national development, and SteelAsia remains one of the country’s leading producers,”  said James Buskowitz, CEO of Buskowitz Energy. “We value the opportunity to work with SteelAsia in integrating renewable energy into their operations—reflecting a shared commitment to sustainability, operational efficiency, and long-term impact.”

The project builds on SteelAsia’s existing renewable energy mix, which already includes hydroelectric and geothermal supply, with solar increasingly being integrated across its operations.

“For decades, renewable energy from hydroelectric and geothermal sources have been a key component of how SteelAsia operates its mills, and we have recently been adding solar into the mix for its practicality. We are grateful to have Buskowitz Energy on board for this initiative,” said Andre Sy, SteelAsia Executive Vice Chairman.

“SteelAsia Compostela is the second of our mills to install solar panels, and we look forward to putting up similar projects for our other mills,” he added.

Buskowitz Energy will handle engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), as well as operations, maintenance, and asset management for the system.

The installation is also projected to cut around 8,400 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, underscoring the growing role of rooftop solar in industrial decarbonization strategies.

Does this signal a faster shift toward behind-the-meter solar adoption in Philippine heavy industry—or are these still isolated flagship projects?

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