The agreement, signed on June 17 by executives from both firms, secures Cebu Cube Ice’s access to an average of 600 kilowatts (kW) per month of renewable electricity from First Gen. The actual monthly supply will vary depending on the company’s operational demand.
Carlo Vega, First Gen chief customer engagement officer, welcomed the renewal, saying the partnership exemplifies how businesses of any size can support decarbonization efforts.
“We are very pleased to continue our partnership with Cebu Cube Ice as they invest in reducing their carbon footprint. This proves that large or small, any enterprise can find sustainable solutions for cleaner operations,” Vega said.
Founded in 1992, Cebu Cube Ice supplies purified ice to nearly 2,000 customers across Cebu province, including leading hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores. The company employs reverse osmosis technology to maintain high standards for safety and sanitation in its ice production. It has also built cold storage facilities across Cebu to ensure round-the-clock availability.
Cebu Cube Ice first partnered with First Gen in 2022 under the Department of Energy’s Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), which allows consumers with peak demand of at least 100 kW to procure electricity from renewable energy producers directly. The program is part of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 aimed at accelerating the country’s shift to clean energy.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with First Gen and to manufacture ice not just at the highest standards of quality, but also with a lower carbon footprint,” said Robert Tiu, president and CEO of Cebu Cube Ice.
First Gen, a subsidiary of Lopez-led First Philippine Holdings, currently operates 1,651 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity from 28 renewable energy plants across the country, including solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal sources. It also maintains 2,017 MW of capacity from four natural gas-fired plants, which serve as flexible sources to complement the integration of more intermittent renewables into the power grid. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
