MonteSol logo

18 MW

Installed capacity

Bais, Negros Oriental

Philippines

17,860*

tCO2e
Annual emissions avoided

6,130*

Homes powered

MonteSol is one of three key solar farms of ACEN located in the Negros province, is situated in Barangay Tamisu, Bais City. The solar farm supplies sustainable daytime peak power to the Visayas grid.

As the first solar farm in Negros Oriental, MonteSol was installed in just over 2.5 months or 80 days from “first pile in” to commissioning and energization (“first power out”).

*based on net attributable figures as of Dec 2024

Thriving together: Growing opportunities in Bais City


What began as a compliance-driven tree-planting initiative in Bais, Negros Oriental, has evolved into a livelihood program empowering local farmers. Through MonteSol’s partnership with the Palaypay Integrated Social Forest Farmers Association Inc. (PISFFAI), coffee farming is now a pathway to economic stability.

MonteSol’s ongoing commitment makes sure that this project is not just about planting trees, it is about creating lasting livelihoods and a thriving coffee industry in Bais.

Thriving together: Bringing healthcare closer to communities

Through the Health Caravan, a collaboration between ACEN’s Visayas plants and Generika, communities in Negros island and Guimaras gained access to medical check-ups, mobile blood donations and health education sessions.

By offering medical missions, feeding programs and essential health services, the initiative directly improved the lives of residents while strengthening local healthcare infrastructure. Through continuous engagement, resource allocation and collaboration with local government units (LGUs) and non-government organizations (NGOs), the goal is to build a self-sustaining healthcare network that serves generations to come.

Solar energy co-exists with agriculture through ACEN’s agrivoltaics program

ACEN’s solar farms in the Philippines have piloted an innovative, collaborative and interdisciplinary program which aims to support the energy transition while helping provide food security and livelihood opportunities to local communities.

Agrivoltaics is the simultaneous use of land to generate solar energy and produce agricultural products, addressing the dual need to transition to clean energy and increase food supply. In this symbiotic farming system, the plants help keep the solar panels cool, making them more productive by generating up to 10% more electricity, and allowing for more solar energy to be harnessed.

ACEN power plants awarded IMS certification

ACEN’s operating power plants in the Philippines were recently awarded the prestigious Integrated Management System (IMS) certification as verified by DQS Certification Philippines, Inc., one of the leading certification bodies for management systems worldwide.

Nine of ACEN’s operating plants have passed the IMS certification for:
• ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System)
• ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System)
• ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System)

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Fernando Zobel de Ayala inaugurates MonteSol


Then ACEN Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala, at the inauguration of the 18 MW MonteSol solar farm in Bais, Negros Oriental.

In 2015, ACEN (then AC Energy) entered into partnership with Bronzeoak Clean Energy to develop the 18 MW MonteSol with a total project cost of P1.3B.

MonteSol started commercial operations in 2016.

MonteSol inauguration

The ACEN team was led by former chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala and president & CEO Eric Francia, along with Mayor Mercedes Teves-Goni, at MonteSol’s inauguration.  

ACEN’s investment aimed to accelerate Negros’ rapid development and was made possible by the strong leadership and project support of the local governments of Bais, San Carlos, La Carlota and Manapla.

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Highlights

ACEN economic stake:

100%

Project status: Operating

Start of commercial operations: 2016

Solar panel specifications:

260 Wp monocrystalline PV modules

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