Big E Food Corp., one of the Philippines’ Filipino-owned food companies and maker of the Lemon Square brand, has activated a 1.685 MWp rooftop solar system at its food manufacturing plant in Bulacan to reduce electricity costs and improve energy efficiency.
The solar project was developed in partnership with renewable energy company Berde Renewables under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) using a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer model. Under the setup, Berde finances, installs, and operates the solar facility, allowing Big E to adopt solar power without upfront capital spending.
The rooftop solar system is already delivering measurable savings as Big E expands production to meet nationwide demand. The company said the shift to solar energy helps stabilize electricity costs amid volatile power prices in the Philippines.
“Big E has been a cornerstone Filipino brand for decades,” Morris Zhou, Group CEO and co-founder of Berde Renewables, said. “Partnering with them to power Lemon Square’s production with clean energy is exactly the kind of impact Berde was built for, helping Philippine manufacturers cut costs and decarbonize without spending a single peso upfront.”
The project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 1,166 tons annually, which Big E said is equivalent to planting about 53,000 trees every year.
“Our focus has always been to deliver products that Filipinos love, products that are part of everyday life,” Ernesto Vergel de Dios, chairman and founder of Big E, said. “By investing in solar energy with Berde, we lower energy costs while also moving toward sustainability and doing good for the planet and its future.”
Berde Renewables, backed by global infrastructure investor I Squared Capital, provides solar and clean energy systems for businesses, electric cooperatives, developers, and landowners across the Philippines and Thailand.
The company said it currently has 127.53 MW of signed projects under Power Purchase Agreements. Of the total, 36.93 MW has already been energized, 63.06 MW is under construction, and 27.54 MW is moving to the next phase. Berde also has a 200 MW renewable energy pipeline across the Philippines and Thailand.