MANILA - San Miguel Corp (SMC) will develop a 200-megawatt solar farm with battery energy storage capacity in Bulacan to help power its New Manila International Airport project there.

SMC through its power unit SMC Global Power Holdings Corp will develop the plant within a 2,500-hectare property in Bulacan.

The battery component will support the airport's needs when energy demand is high.

“This battery storage will be a viable solution to balancing electricity loads and storing unstable energy supply coming from the sun and other renewable sources of energy which we are looking to utilize for the airport,” Ramon Ang, SMC President and Chief Operating Officer, said.

“We continue to invest in technologies so that our power facilities would have as little impact as possible on the environment," he added.

Building the solar plus battery energy facility is part of SMC's thrust to venture more into renewables.

The company keeps a portfolio mix of renewable and non-renewable power plants, adding solar to its renewable projects such as hydropower and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants.

SMC will build the Bulacan airport in a period of 10 years also within the 2,500-hectare property.

The terminal will have up to 6 runways and can cater to 100 million passengers annually.

It aims to ease Metro Manila traffic and contribute about 9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025 -- an estimated P900-billion infusion into the economy, SMC said.

• San Miguel's power unit eyes battery energy storage investments
• San Miguel says power unit taps Singapore bond market to raise funds for LNG, other projects
• San Miguel confirms 10-year renewable energy plan

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv