BW FILE PHOTO

TAIWAN FRUCTOSE (Philippines), the local subsidiary of global sweetener supplier Taiwan Fructose Co. Ltd., has tapped Lopez-led First Gen Corp. to procure renewable energy to power its production and logistics facility in Batangas.

In a statement on Thursday, First Gen said it will supply the Taiwan Fructose facility inside the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Batangas with electricity sourced from the Bacon-Manito (Bac-Man) geothermal complex in the Bicol region via the government’s Green Energy Option Program (GEOP).

GEOP is a program that allows eligible electricity end-users to choose renewable energy as their power source.

Taiwan Fructose’s facility at the FPIP manufactures various sweetening products for the export market — such as glucose and fructose syrups — and other sweet additives for a wide range of food and beverage products, as well as health supplements.

“Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that can run at baseload capacity which is ideal for industries that require stable 24/7 power supply with a lower carbon footprint. We are pleased to support Taiwan Fructose in its journey towards sustainability and decarbonization,” said First Gen Chief Customer Engagement Officer Carlo Vega.

The Bac-Man geothermal complex is owned and operated by First Gen subsidiary Energy Development Corporation, the country’s leading geothermal developer.

To date, First Gen has a total of 3,617 megawatts (MW) of combined capacity from its portfolio of plants that run on geothermal, wind, hydro, solar energy, and natural gas.

On Thursday, First Gen closed at P16.50, up 0.06 or 0.36%. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera