Yuchengco-led EcoSolar Energy Corporation (ESEC) has mechanically completed the 20-megawatt/40-megawatt-hour Panitan Energy Storage Project (PESP), marking the first battery energy storage system (BESS) in Capiz and clearing the way for commissioning later this year, pending regulatory approvals.

ESEC is a special purpose vehicle of PetroGreen Energy Corporation, the renewable energy arm of publicly listed PetroEnergy Resources Corp.

The milestone comes as the Visayas continues to add battery storage to improve grid flexibility and support the growing share of renewable energy on the system. 

During the project’s completion ceremony on July 23, the Department of Energy (DOE) also awarded ESEC the service contract for its planned 90-megawatt direct current (MWDC) Panitan Solar Power Project, expanding the company’s renewable energy footprint in the province.

Together, the battery storage and solar developments represent the first private-sector power generation investment in Capiz in 17 years, according to ESEC.

DOE Undersecretary Mario C. Marasigan said the Panitan facility demonstrates that battery storage projects are beginning to move beyond planning into execution.

“There are many projects that mark their many firsts, but there are a few projects that can actually deliver. And the PESP is one of those projects that delivered,” he said.

The two-hour battery system is expected to store excess electricity during periods of lower demand before dispatching it when consumption rises or renewable generation falls, helping stabilize the Panay-Guimaras-Negros grid.

 “More importantly, it supports the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, ensuring a steadier and more dependable electricity supply for the people and businesses of Capiz,” Marasigan said. 

ESEC President Francisco G. Delfin Jr. said the project is intended to address reliability challenges that continue to affect the Visayas power system, particularly during supply constraints.

“This milestone comes at a time when power shortfalls and grid instability in the Visayas continue to affect businesses and residents,” he said.

The company said the battery storage facility is targeted for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026 and is expected to provide reserve capacity that can respond rapidly to grid disturbances while reducing dependence on diesel-fired generation during emergencies.

ESEC also disclosed that it had secured a PHP 635.9-million loan from RCBC to partially finance the battery storage project.

What are your thoughts on the growing deployment of battery energy storage systems in the Visayas? Join the discussion.

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