Renewable Energy: SM Debuts Rooftop Solar Panels

Published on August 6, 2025 | By Jan Laurence B. Yumang

In our country, the Philippines, an archipelago that is near to the Ring of Fire, is prone to the impacts of climate change that caused a frequent shortage of electricity and blackouts—and for that, solar panels gained more popularity, becoming one of the main sources of electricity in our country. However, what is the relevance of solar panels in our country?

One of the well-known malls in the Philippines, SM City Fairview, has installed 6,882 solar modules occupying a total area of 4.3 hectares of solar photovoltaic (PV) with the purpose of reinforcing its commitment toward environmental sustainability and corporate resilience.

The annual solar production would go up to 5,960 megawatt-hours (MWh), which means 11% of the mall's annual consumption of energy would come from the sun—that is equivalent to giving energy to 44 escalators, and all of the mall and the perimeter lights would go up to two and a half years. That would ultimately prevent the release of 4,133 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year of operations—supporting actions of the climate and ensuring a safe, sustainable future for the Filipinos.

In the partnership of SM City Fairview and Buskowitz Energy, this project would enable reducing the carbon footprint of SM. In addition, it would reduce the dependence on the national grid. It also supports the government's thrust towards renewable energy for the advantages of the environment.

Nowadays, climate change and global warming are already very noticeable with every new calamity that nature hits us with. It's crucial for us to find a way to reduce and even exterminate the damage we created. That's why renewable energy sources like solar panels come in. It's one of the ways humanity can survive the heat index, especially when it's El Niño, when blackouts are frequently happening