SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of Southeast Asia’s largest
integrated property developers, expanded its solar energy footprint in 2024,
driving both operational efficiency and carbon emission reductions across its
properties. The company generated 27.6 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean energy, a
49% increase from the previous year.
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| A view of the 5,760 solar panels installed on the car park building roof deck at SM City North EDSA, the first commercial property in the Philippines to adopt rooftop solar PV panels. |
The continued rollout of solar panels across SM malls and developments
has further lowered the company’s reliance on conventional power sources,
cutting carbon emissions by 19,140.6 tons CO2 metric tons—equivalent to taking
more than 4,100 cars off the road annually.
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| SM Prime demonstrates its dedication to sustainability with a 3-megawatt peak solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop, effortlessly integrated into the MOA Sky's design. |
The expansion aligns with SM Prime’s broader sustainability strategy to integrate renewable energy solutions into its operations, reducing both costs and environmental impact.
In 2014, SM North EDSA became the first commercial property in the
Philippines to install rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, marking the
largest installation in Southeast Asia at the time.
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| SM City Tanza is one of the 45 SM malls with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, numbering 2,286 units, which will produce 1,257.30 kW peak solar power. |
SM Prime operates 47 malls and properties with solar installations totaling 63 megawatts (MW) of capacity. In 2025, it plans to add 20 rooftop solar PV projects to reinforce its push toward greater energy efficiency, optimizing power consumption while ensuring long-term resilience against fluctuating energy costs.
“Expanding our use of solar energy enhances the sustainability of our
developments. This initiative also enables us to support the Interruptible Load
Program (ILP) of the Department of Energy (DOE),” said SM Prime
President Jeffrey C. Lim.
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| SM City Butuan with its solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. |
As summer drives up electricity demand, the ILP helps stabilize the grid by allowing distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to request large power consumers to use their own generator sets and power sources. Participants include malls, large businesses and factories with significant standby capacity, ensuring sufficient power supply when demand exceeds available resources.
Most SM Supermalls participate in the ILP, contributing 110MW of power
during each activation. SM Prime leads the private sector in ILP contributions,
with SM Mall of Asia providing the highest committed capacity at 15.92MW.
This, along with other sustainability initiatives, reinforces SM Prime’s position as a leader in sustainable property development, driving its commitment to integrating green energy solutions across its portfolio. (SM Prime)
