ib vogt recently broke ground on the 99 MWp Luca solar power plant in Ajuy, Iloilo, the Philippines, marking a new chapter in the company’s clean energy journey in the country.
Once operational, the Luca Solar Power Plant is expected to generate approximately 158 GWh of clean energy annually – enough to power roughly 79 000 homes – while avoiding an estimated 109 000 tpy of carbon dioxide emissions. The project marks another significant milestone in ib vogt APAC’s goal of reaching approximately 500 MW of capacity in construction and operation in the Philippines by the end of 2026.
David Ludwig, CEO of ib vogt APAC, commented: “Earlier this year, our first solar-and-storage plant in the Philippines began delivering power. Breaking ground for our Luca plant today doubles the capacity we have built and under construction in the country. Our third and largest project yet, entering construction before year-end, will more than double it again. Reaching this point was only possible with the support of our lenders, communities, and local stakeholders, and we thank them for the work they put in alongside us. We will keep building into a Philippine power market that needs the supply. The same ramp-up is under way across our core Southeast Asian markets, a region entering a decade in which reliable, low-cost power decides how fast these economies grow.”
The plant is also expected to be a steady source of local employment. Jose Luis Echávarri, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of ib vogt APAC, pointed to the clean power and more predictable energy costs the project will deliver over its projected 20-year life, alongside the jobs it will create: “It means hundreds of local jobs during construction, and a smaller number of skilled jobs in this community for the life of the plant.”
Marissa P. Cerezo, Director IV of the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau, added: “Our energy demand will continue to grow as our economy expands, so we need an energy system that is not just sufficient, but also reliable, resilient, diversified, and increasingly sustainable.”
Ajuy Mayor, Loida Espinosa, stated: “Beyond electricity, this project will generate employment, economic activity, investments, and other benefits that contribute to the development of Barangay Luca and the Municipality of Ajuy.”
British Ambassador, Sarah Hulton OBE, concluded: “The government of the UK is proud to support the 99 MW Luca solar project in Ajuy, Iloilo, through British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution. By helping to unlock additional private-sector investment, this project will deliver clean electricity for 79 000 households, strengthen energy security in the Visayas and support the Philippines’ transition to a lower-carbon future.”
None of this would have been possible without the many partners who helped achieve this milestone. ib vogt thanks RCBC and RCBC Capital for arranging and financing the transaction, and Pentagreen Capital and British International Investment (BII) for the confidence that shaped this capital structure. Local government support has been just as vital: the provincial government of Iloilo and the municipalities of Ajuy and Barotac Viejo have backed the project at every stage, and the host communities opened their land to it with great generosity.
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