SM Prime's Subsidiary, SM Supermalls, Unveils its Largest Solar Panel System and Scales Up Sustainability in Santa Rosa, Laguna

Installed over two hectares of the mall's structure, SM Supermalls recently launched the company's largest rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system for self-use at SM City in Santa Rosa, Laguna. As it moves closer to its Net-Zero Ambition by 2040, SM Prime underlines its commitment to creating a sustainable future with this latest milestone of growing the company's efforts towards energy efficiency.​

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has granted SM City Santa Rosa's solar PV system a Certificate of Compliance (COC). The system consists of 5,772 panels with a 3.088 MWp capacity, and it can produce up to 4.292 GWh of solar energy annually. 15% of the energy requirements of SM City Santa Rosa will be met by the solar PV system installation.

​Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls, said “SM Supermalls is committed towards contributing to build a sustainable future. We have made significant strides in clean energy regeneration, as well as water conservation and recycling, and solid waste management. With the continuous support of our partners and the communities where we operate, we believe we can truly reach our science-based goals towards Net Zero by 2040.”

The first mall in the Philippines to use solar energy was SM City North EDSA, where SM Supermalls initially began installing solar PV systems in 2014. The solar power facility, which has twice the capacity of SM North EDSA, was installed in SM Mall of Asia in 2016. By using solar energy, which is a clean and renewable energy source, SM Supermalls has lessened its dependency on the power grid, which is advantageous when rising temperatures lead to an increase in the demand for electricity.

Additionally, SM Supermalls participates in the Department of Energy's Interruptible Load Program (ILP), which supplies 110 MV of electricity to towns throughout the Philippines. When there are local power outages and rationing of power, 56 malls have found success using their own generator sets rather than depending on the power system. SM Mall of Asia provides the highest capacity of 15.92 MW for this program, making SM the private sector with the largest contribution.

SM Supermalls has 85 energy-efficient malls. Through windows and skylights, every mall makes the most of natural illumination. Since 2018, all malls have switched to LED lighting, which ensures energy efficiency.