ACEN RES ‘Resurgence’ conference highlights business benefits of renewable energy

27 August 2024 – In a world where sustainability is becoming increasingly pivotal to business success, ACEN RES, the retail electricity supply unit of ACEN, offers a convergence of renewable energy and mobility to help drive businesses’ sustainability targets. In a recent conference aptly dubbed “Resurgence”, ACEN RES gathered over 350 business leaders and decision-makers from different industries to make the sustainable choice of switching to renewable energy.

“We’re bringing together both our current long-term and potential new customers, and we really view them as our partners in our sustainability journey. We’re still in the very early days of the energy transition, and as an early adopter and innovator, we hope to align and partner with like-minded leaders and organizations,” said Eric Francia, president and CEO of ACEN.

A new dawn for renewable energy in business

The conference aimed to equip business leaders with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about integrating renewable energy into their operations. The theme “Resurgence” encapsulated the movement towards discovering the intersections of Renewable Energy (RE), Sustainability, Green Mobility, and their Convergence with business and the bottom line.

ACMobility CEO Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, who delivered a visionary closing speech on the future of electric mobility in the Philippines, encouraged businesses to shift to electric vehicles (EV) for their mobility and logistics operations to reinforce their sustainability commitments while providing a cost-saving solution for their operations.

“The proposition we’d like to make to you as business owners is that we can leverage our relationships with ACEN to develop a fully green charging network so that your entire mobility experience is completely green from the point of purchase throughout the entire usage. And we will work with you, hopefully, to develop that proposition by putting the infrastructure in place that’s convenient and that enables your business to save money and continue to move forward,” Zobel de Ayala said.

The urgency of climate action

At the heart of the “Resurgence” conference is the emphasis on climate action. Global research firm Kantar said climate change is the top concern in the Philippines though many Filipinos think there is not enough information about it, with 75 percent saying they will support businesses that take action to preserve the planet.

“The context of the program was research that showed many business owners were unsure of sustainability and its impact on the bottom line. We organized ‘Resurgence’ to address that and inspire them to take the first steps in embarking on a sustainability journey,” said Tony Valdez, ACEN senior vice president for market transformation.

The “Resurgence” conference was also anopportunity for other businesses to learn from the sustainability initiatives of companies like SGV & Co., BPI, Ajinomoto, Penshoppe Group, De La Salle University and Ayala Property Management Corp. (APMC).

Celebrating sustainability champions

One of the highlights of the event was the unveiling of the Renewable Energy Enabler Awards (REENA). ACEN managing director and COO for Philippine operations Miguel de Jesus and Ayala Corporation chief sustainability and risk officer Jaime Urquijo presented the awards to ACEN RES customers who have pledged in the fight against climate change by partnering with ACEN RES.

Among the awardees included Pacific Synergy Corp., E.L. Laboratories, Glacier Megafridge, Golden Harvests, Jotun Philippines, J2NS Property Development Corp., Uratex/RGC Group of Companies and the University of San Carlos.

Francia also reinforced ACEN’s position as a renewables leader in the region and thanked ACEN RES’ partners for joining them in their transformational journey. “We really look forward to celebrating this partnership with you because, after all, we are in this together as trailblazers in this sustainability journey that we’re all going through,” he said.

About ACEN RES

ACEN Renewable Energy Solutions (ACEN RES) is the supply retail arm of ACEN, the listed energy platform of the Ayala Group with a fast-growing presence in the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR and the U.S.A. With about 4.8 GW of attributable renewables capacity in operation and under construction, as well as signed agreements and won competitive tenders worth over 1 GW, the company has already effectively surpassed its original goal of reaching 5 GW of renewables by 2025.

ACEN aims to provide clean, reliable and affordable energy in the Asia Pacific and grow its renewables capacity to 20 GW by 2030. The company is committed to achieving 100% renewable energy in its generation portfolio by 2025 and becoming a Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions company by 2050.

www.acenres.com