MANILA, Philippines – With sustainability high on its agenda, leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc., has switched to 100% clean energy to run its data center in Angeles City, Pampanga which is owned and operated by its parent company, ComClark Network and Technologies Corp.
Converge shared this milestone on Earth Day 2022, signifying its commitment to ensure a livable planet and environmental sustainability.
Converge recently entered into a supply contract with First Gen subsidiary, Greencore Geothermal, to secure 14.4MW of geothermal energy for two years (or 7.2 MW per year) until 2024 for the Pampanga data center. The contract was availed under the government’s Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) and with Greencore in compliance with the Department of Energy’s Renewable Portfolio Standards.
“As part of our green initiatives and overall sustainability commitment, we are progressively moving towards the use of renewable energy in our operations. Data centers which operate 24/7 require a lot of cooling and thus, consume a lot of energy. This is the reason why we need to ensure that our power requirement comes from renewable sources like geothermal energy so that it will have less impact on the environment,” said Converge CEO Dennis Anthony Uy.
“Converge is continuously looking for ways to further reduce its carbon footprint as we have always believed that we need to protect the environment for our business to be sustainable and continue to flourish,” Uy stressed.
In 2021, Converge concluded a similar agreement with Lopez Holdings’ First Gen, contracting 48 MW of geothermal energy until 2023 for the company’s headquarters in Pasig, Metro Manila which also houses a data center.
‘Greening’ company operations is among the key principles of the Converge sustainability framework, under the pillar of ‘Giving Back to Our Planet’. This sustainability framework is now integrated in the overall company strategy to ensure Converge remains aligned with environmental, economic, social, and governance goals as it pursues company growth.
Aside from switching to clean energy, Converge is eyeing to implement a solar hybrid system to further cut down on energy costs, and exploring the viability of electric vehicle integration.
“Converge has set an internal target of reducing greenhouse gas scope 2 emissions by 75% by 2030, and achieving Net Zero by 2050, thereby adopting the globally set target in the Paris Agreement as our own goal. We are committed to grow responsibly and sustainably, as we fiber-power the country,” Converge Chief Strategy Officer Benjamin Azada noted.