Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI)—the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the Philippines—is shifting to renewable energy after signing the deal for the installation of solar panels in its Batangas, Cebu, and Davao manufacturing plants.

The move to solar power is seen to reduce the company’s dependency on grid electricity produced from fossil fuels. PCPPI is looking at close to 30% reduction in the use of grid electricity.

“More than reducing our plant operating costs, adopting green energy solutions will also positively impact the environment. With solar power, we will be able to lessen air pollution and reduce our overall carbon footprint,” said PCPPI president and CEO Frederick D. Ong.

PCPPI partnered with SunSource Energy, one of the key players in India's solar space, to undertake the project seen to improve plant electricity cost and minimize the company’s impact on the environment.

The company is set to complete the installation and commissioning of the solar panels in the pilot plants before the end of the year. This is the first of three phases as PCPPI plans to use solar power in all of its 12 plants nationwide.

This renewable energy adoption reinforces the company’s sustainability agenda created in 2018 in response to the global effort towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), specifically contributing to the targets of SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action) by reducing its greenhouse gas emission by 4,400 tons of carbon dioxide. It is also part of PCPPI’s Sustainability Goal.

In 2020, PCPPI was hailed as the Sustainability Rising Star during the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability (ACES) Awards 2020 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for demonstrating commitment to sustainable development by implementing diverse solutions to sustainability challenges faced in their settings.