By Eddie O. Barrita
CEBU CITY, March 9 (PNA) — Cebu-based real estate developer AboitizLand Inc. is pioneering the development of solar-powered homes, an official said.
Audi G. Villa, AboitizLand assistant vice president for sales, said the system will be implemented for the first time at Almiya, one of its residential projects in Cebu.
Villa said the company has partnered with leading solar panel developer Enfinity to install solar panels in its Almiya community in Canduman, Mandaue City.
Almiya, dubbed as a “complete community of the north,” offers 150 houses for its Phase 2.
Villa said 30 percent has been sold.
Almiya’s Phase 1 was reportedly sold out four months after it was launched in June 2013.
Villa said two solar panels that can provide 250 watts each will be installed per residential unit.
Enfinity business development manager Marcus Andre C. Ong said 500 watts of solar power will translate into savings of as much as P600 per month in the homeowner’s electricity bill.
“With the rising price of electricity, having a solar panel will also increase the homeowner’s savings,” Ong said.
Ong said the system is synchronized with the Visayan Electric Co.’s (Veco) line, with the incorporation of a metering system.
Homeowners will only pay for the electricity consumed from Veco’s regular power line.
In cases where the electricity generated by the solar panel exceeds the homeowner’s consumption, the homeowners can opt to sell excess electricity to Veco.
Villa said the implementation of solar panels in Almiya will have “no additional cost” during the promo period.
Former buyers of Almiya, however, will have to purchase the solar panel.
A one-kilowatt (kW) solar panel will cost around P150,000. (PNA)