Southville Global Education Network (SGEN), a consortium of schools from early childhood learning to post-graduate study, completed aggregation of the power demand of its schools and has transitioned to direct renewable energy (RE) supply, in partnership with the First Gen Group (First Gen), the country’s largest RE provider. This initiative is part of SGEN’s drive to help rationalize electricity costs and reduce its carbon footprint.
SGEN, composed of Southville International School and Colleges, Southville International School Affiliated with Foreign Universities, Asian SEED Academy of Technology, South Mansfield College, Southville International Institute of Medical Health Sciences, Stonyhurst Southville International School (Batangas Campus), and Southville Monarchs International School, pooled over 1,800 kilowatts (kW) of electricity demand and contracted directly with First Gen for direct power supply. First Gen will source the electricity from the Unified Leyte Geothermal Power Plant in Kananga, Leyte.
“Our partnership with First Gen aligns with our mission of environmental stewardship, climate action, and future-ready education, ensuring that campus growth does not come at the expense of planetary well-being. Our transition to renewable energy will not only provide cleaner, more reliable power for campus operations, but also help ensure more strategic, long-term, and cost-efficient power procurement,” said Dr. Genevieve Ledesma-Laurel, Southville Founder and Chief Executive Mentor.
SGEN’s shift to renewable energy is made possible through the government’s Retail Aggregation (RAP) and Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) programs, which enable electricity consumers within a contiguous area or those with multiple facilities under the same owner to pool their demand to reach a minimum 500 kW, then directly choose and negotiate with an electricity supplier.
“We are proud to partner with SGEN as it continually decarbonizes its facilities. We are committed to supporting SGEN in ensuring uninterrupted learning and research activities, building future-ready academic institutions,” said Carlo Vega, First Gen Chief Customer Engagement Officer.
First Gen operates 1,700 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy from geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar sources. To bolter national energy security and complement intermittent RE sources, the company also holds a 40% stake in four gas-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 2,017 MW, majority-owned by Prime Infrastructure Capital, Inc.
