The eighth edition of JG Summit Holdings Inc.’s ENERCON Summit recently took place on April 26, 2019, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. At this year’s event, which carried the theme “JG Summit Energy Management: On the Cusp of the New Digital Area,” executives from different business units gathered to assess the impacts of the conglomerate-wide energy conservation program, to exchange best practices, and to learn about new ways to tackle energy issues from industry experts. Business units with significant savings or reductions in their energy costs were also recognized at the event.
Cesar Camaongay, Head & GM of JG Summit's Corporate Energy Division, opens the 8th ENERCON Summit.
The summit was opened by Cesar Camaongay, Head and General Manager of JG Summit Holding's Corporate Energy Division. In his opening remarks he shed some light on this year’s theme. “Digitalization is one of the enablers of our conglomerate. Digitalization is important and we cannot neglect or keep it on the side. We have to make use of digitalization as a tool to improve our operations,” said Camaongay. He further emphasized how the use of new digital-driven technologies can improve energy monitoring, data analysis, and systems processes within the conglomerate. Camaongay also presented a complete breakdown of energy use in the company for 2018.
JG Summit Holdings President and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei delivering a speech at the 8th ENERCON Summit.
This was followed by a speech from JG Summit President and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei, who also provided insight on why new methodologies would be needed so that the conglomerate would be able to keep up with its goal of a 5 percent reduction in fuel and energy consumption every year. “We’ve been competing against a base that’s been improving,” said Gokongwei, using as an example the different level of effort a student exerts to improve from a grade of C to B, and then from B to A. While significant improvements have occurred since the ENERCON was initiated eight years ago, from this point on, new tools will be needed to get the conglomerate to the next level of energy conservation and efficiency. One of them will be digitalization. “At JG Summit, we are undergoing a digital transformation. This can be made real in your own respective groups, in your own respective applications on energy and water use. What I would like to encourage everyone is to learn, educate yourself about this,” said JG Summit's President, who added that the Corporate Energy Division is always ready to support business units seeking innovative improvements in their operations.
Mr. Gokongwei also spoke about major initiatives within the conglomerate that have had significant impact on energy cost savings: Installation of solar panels at Robinsons Land’s malls, which have contributed so far to an accumulated savings of around 350 million pesos; the shift of over 187,000 kilowatts of electricity sourcing to RES (Retail Electricity Supply) from the Distribution Utilities’ captive market , which saved approximately 1 billion pesos; and URC Sugar and Renewables division’s record production of 96 million kilowatt hours exported to the grid.
Robinsons Place Palawan won the Summit's top honor, the Chairman's Award.
The presentation of the 2019 ENERCON Awardees was next on the program, recognizing the business units with the best energy performance in the past year. The winners were: Robinsons Tera Tower In the Offices (Hotel and High rise office buildings category), URC Slaughter House and Meat Fabrication Plant (Manufacturing Plants), Robinsons Place Palawan (Commercial Centers), Robinsons Supermarket (Retail Group), Robinsons Place Palawan (Chairman’s Award). URC’s Bagong Ilog Plant was also recognized for leading the way in water conservation.
The event also featured insightful presentations from invited guest speakers, namely Benedict Lim, Director of Siemens Industry Software’s Manufacturing Operations Management division; and Marciano Caldo, Relationship Manager of Meralco’s Corporate Business Group.
Presentations from various business units included an update on solar panel implementation from Ambrosio Ferris Tangco III, Engineering Project Manager of Robinsons Land; an update on Retail Electricity Supply from Nestor Aliman, manager of the Corporate Energy Division; and a talk on Effective Energy Conservation and Efficiency Measures from Roberto Lozada, Senior Consultant of the Corporate Maintenance Division.
The ramifications of energy conservation cannot be understated. While a successful energy management program can considerably contribute to the conglomerate’s net profit by reducing its production costs and operational expenditures, utilizing fewer resources by maximizing energy efficiency, reducing water consumption, and finding alternate or renewable sources of energy are all in line with JG Summit’s push for greater sustainability, reducing its carbon footprint and leaving a better environment for the next generation.
