Historical Malate Church Goes Renewable with Solar Panels

The historical Malate Church has harnessed the most important source of renewable energy by installing solar panels to have one of the first green edifice in Manila.

In 1998, Malate Catholic Church administration initiated a study on energy efficient systems for its buildings seeking an alternative source of energy than that from the grid.

Unfortunately, despite their progressive thinking and goals, the study concluded that harvesting energy from the sun was not a feasible solution owing to the then prohibitively high cost of solar panels.

A decade later, solar panel prices have greatly reduced as the technology tremendously improved. Solar panels now have higher efficiency rates compared to what was available then.

Thus, with the help of Zentech Global Development, Inc., a start-up with high goals of developing net-zero buildings while installing energy efficient systems, and in coordination with the National Historical Society, the Malate Catholic Church now boasts to be one of the first Catholic Church in the Philippines to have solar energy power system using Panasonic HIT panels for its buildings and church operations.

At last, Parish Priest Fr. Leo Distor along with Parochial Vicar, Fr. John Leydon, the Philippine Convener for GCCM (Global Catholic Climate Movement), are now fulfilling this vision towards having energy efficient and eco-friendly project that can be replicated by other churches to also reduce their utility costs. (PNA) LGI/LAM/PR