MANILA (18 December, 2018) - Trina Solar, the global leader in total energy solutions, today launched its Trinahome solutions into the Philippines.
“The launch of Trinahome in the Philippines is in line with the nation’s target of becoming energy self-sufficient and having a cheaper and more reliable source of energy,” says Junrhey Castro, Trina Solar Philippines country manager.
He says: “Trinahome is the first ‘plug and play’ residential and commercial solution in the Philippines with warranties backed by an internationally bankable supplier. This solution is targeted towards residential and small to medium-sized commercial applications for distributed power generation. With Trinahome, we hope to give Filipinos an option to tap into a clean, sustainable and cheaper energy source.”
Coal, oil and gas still account for 76% of the Philippines’ power generation. These fossil fuels are largely imported from overseas, causing unpredictable energy prices which has great economic impact, says Castro.
“The problem with relying on fossil fuels is price volatility. The price of energy sourced from fossil fuels will continue to increase and not to mention the long-term harm it brings to the environment. The simple solution to our energy problem is solar energy which provides a more sustainable and cost-effective clean energy source by making use of the free and unlimited energy from the sun,” he says.
The Philippines has some of the most expensive electricity prices in Asia, says Castro, adding that electricity is a major expense for Philippine households and businesses. A common Filipino is paying about 8.5 to 9 Philippine pesos per kilowatt hour, he says, adding that this is a major expense for each household each month.
Solar energy is cheaper than energy from the grid, since your rooftop becomes your own power generation source, says Castro, adding that the cost of solar systems has significantly decreased in the past years thanks to new manufacturing technology and economies of scale.
He says the Philippines has made great progress in increasing renewable energy’s share of the energy mix, but more needs to be done.
The Philippines has increased its solar energy capacity from 1MW in 2013 to more than 910MW as of middle of this year. It is one of the largest markets in Southeast Asia for solar energy, which is not surprising given that Philippines is blessed with much radiation from the sun throughout the year.
Demand for electricity in the Philippines continues to grow and is expected to double over the next 10 years together with the expected growth of the economy.
Much of the Philippines’ solar energy capacity comes from large-scale solar farms that were installed during the feed in tariff (FIT) era. Trina Solar has been one of the top suppliers delivering PV modules for some of the notable utility solar projects in the Philippines.
Trina Solar is also active in the commercial and industrial rooftop sector in the Philippines where it offers a full engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solution along with operation and maintenance (OnM) services.
Trina Solar has long been active in the Philippines in providing solar PV modules and the latest technology under its TrinaPro solar solution which is mainly targeted at the utility and industrial sector.
Now that Trina Solar has solidified its strong position in the commercial, industrial and utility segment of the market, we are now moving into the residential and small-to-medium enterprise (SME) segment with the launch today of Trinahome, says Castro.
The benefit to households and SMEs is that you can be more energy self-sufficient and can reduce your electricity utility bills.
Castro says the monies saved, means the Trinahome system pays for itself within 4-6 years. “The system is designed to last for more than 25 years, so it makes financial sense to install a Trinahome system,” says Castro, adding that “Trinahome is a perfect investment for households and SMEs to secure their energy needs in the future.”
“We see an opportunity to replace fossil fuels with solar energy by focusing on distributed energy generation made possible by Trinahome solutions,” says Castro, adding that households and SMEs that adopt Trinahome, will become more energy self-sufficient.
Trinahome is unique because it is the first ‘all in one’ solution in the Philippines, which means all the components – the solar modules, inverter, grid box and mounting – are backed by Trina Solar warranties. “This makes it very easy for the consumer because they know that the whole system is backed by one supplier. It also means all the components work together seamlessly to provide greater efficiency. Trina Solar also carries out rigorous technical training for local installers to equip and certify them to carry out installation of Trinahome,” says Castro.
Trinahome is available in 1.5, 3, 5 and 10 Kw systems; depending on the roof size and customer requirement. The unique design of Trinahome together with certified installers enables quick deployment of the system. “Now that we have launched Trinahome today, the product is now commercially available in the Philippines through our approved distributors and local partners,” adds Castro.