Lopez-led Energy Development Corporation (EDC) has renewed its power supply agreement (PSA) with Silliman University for another two years.
According to the renewable energy (RE) firm, Silliman has chosen to stay with EDC for its full load requirement not only because the power that it provides is clean, renewable, and reliable but also cheaper, based on its experience when it first shifted to geothermal power in 2020.
Based on its first PSA with EDC, Silliman was able to avoid 2,602 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in two years.
Located in Dumaguete City, Silliman sources its power from EDC’s 49.4-megawatt Nasulo Geothermal Power Plant in the neighboring town of Valencia, Negros Oriental.
Silliman is the only university in Negros to be fully-powered by RE. Aside from geothermal, the university generates power from its own installed solar panels.
“We did the math and we saw some savings but more importantly, it is the quality of life that we give to our students on campus. They see that we walk the talk, they see that our campus is green, and the savings from our energy is also passed on to our students so economically, it has benefited the university as far as energy use is concerned,” said Jane Annette Belarmino, Silliman Vice President for Development.
Silliman President Dr. Betty Cernol McCann emphasized that the move to renew the university’s deal with EDC manifests “our institution’s commitment in institutionalizing our Environmental Principles, Policies, and Guidelines that serves as the blueprint for the university’s major component activities in which the renewable energy utilization is one.”
