President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. led the switch-on of Citicore Solar Batangas 1 on September 15, 2025, marking a breakthrough in renewable energy.
The 197-megawatt solar facility is paired with a 320-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS), enabling it to store power and supply electricity beyond peak sun hours.
Turning solar into baseload power
Baseload power means providing a steady, uninterrupted supply of electricity that can run 24/7, something previously possible only with coal, gas, or geothermal plants.
By integrating batteries, Citicore can now dispatch solar power even at night, moving renewable energy closer to replacing fossil fuels.
“Our Citicore Solar Batangas 1 is the first in the Philippines to prove that solar can be true baseload power. This is a huge step forward in the country’s renewable energy transition. With 1.5GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems in place, we are prepared to replicate this breakthrough starting in Batangas,” said CREC President and CEO Oliver Tan.
“This continuous innovation demonstrates not only our expertise in solar but also our commitment to hitting our 1 gigawatt target up to Q1 2026. Soon, our country will no longer have to rely on unclean energy and the uncertainties of fuel importation.
Instead, we will be powered by homegrown, reliable, and pure renewable energy—bringing us closer to our vision of Powering a First-World Philippines with Pure Renewable Energy,” he added.
1-gigawatt milestone
CREC’s first gigawatt of renewable energy will come from 11 facilities across Pangasinan, Pampanga, Batangas, Quezon, and Negros Occidental, three of which will also host BESS totaling 760MWh.
Once completed by end-2025, the portfolio is expected to cut nearly 2.8 billion tons of carbon emissions and power around 800,000 households annually.
“We always value our strong partnership with government – a collaboration we’ve consistently demonstrated from Megawide to Citicore. With our experience and expertise in engineering, construction, and innovation, we are poised to complete our projects on time, with quality, and at a lower cost,” said Saavedra, the chair of CREC.
Nine of the 11 projects already secured 20-year supply contracts through the government’s Green Energy Auction Program, all have Energy Project of National Significance certification from the DOE, and 10 carry Green Lane status from the BOI.
With its first gigawatt nearly complete, Citicore is preparing to start construction of a second gigawatt that will include solar, integrated renewable energy systems, and onshore wind.
Clean energy, community growth
The company also ties its projects to community development through the Citicore Foundation.
Its pioneering AgroSolar Initiative allows farmland to be used simultaneously for crop cultivation and solar generation, with farmers employed, seeds and equipment funded by Citicore, and crop sales shared to augment household income.
Other grassroots projects include scholarships, training-to-employment programs, solar street lighting, tree planting, and solar upcycling initiatives, reflecting its push to link clean energy with social impact.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
