World’s largest solar and battery storage facility breaks ground in PH

It spans 3,500 hectares.

Construction at the MTerra Solar Project is now in full swing following the ground breaking ceremony held at the world’s largest solar and battery storage facility.

“The Terra Solar power project is designed to address two critical challenges of our time: the surging demand for electricity and the pressing need to shift to renewable and sustainable sources of energy,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was present during the event, was quoted as saying.

The $4b Terra solar project will have a photovoltaic capacity of 3,500 megawatt peak, complemented by a 4,500 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system. It will cover 3,500 hectares across areas in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.

Upon completion, it is projected to energise 2.4 million households and avoid carbon emissions by an estimated 4.3 million tonnes annually – equivalent to removing over 3 million gasoline-powered vehicles from the roads every year.

The MTerra Solar Project will supply 850 megawatts (MW) of solar energy to Meralco over 20 years. The initial 600 MW will be delivered by February 2026, followed by the remaining 250 MW in February 2027.

The project also supports the Philippine government’s goal of achieving a 35% renewable energy mix by 2030 and 50% by 2040. As of late 2023, the country’s installed renewable energy capacity stands at almost 30% of total energy mix.