The 54-megawatt wind farm in Pililla, Rizal with 27 turbines generates clean energy and is also a spectacle among local tourists. This is one of the many sustainable energy projects BDO Unibank, through its investment banking arm BDO Capital & Investment Corp., has funded along with other local commercial banks.
Each turbine stretches up 125 meters, as tall as a 33-story building.These turbines, in total, produce 54MW of wind power per year, providing electricity to approximately 66,000 households in Manila.
Interconnected with the distribution grid of Meralco (Manila Electric Company) through a dedicated, point-to-point sub-transmission line, located just 10 kilometers from the main line, the Pililla wind farm reduces carbon emissions by 73,000 tons per year, but its influence on sustainability goes far beyond its generation capacity.
BDO Unibank’s foray into sustainable investments continues to pay dividends even amid the pandemic, following the global trend of strong growth in environmental, social and governance (ESG)-themed investments.
Experts say that COVID-19 has only strengthened the importance of ESG as investors look for more resilient investments amidst economic uncertainties brought about by the pandemic.
BDO’s ESG Unit Investment Trust Fund (ESG UITF)–the first of its kind in the Philippines–posted returns of 13.95 percent and 19.90 percent in the last six and three months, respectively, leading to end-December 2020.
The BDO ESG UITF allows investors to see value in socially responsible companies as an investment destination for their funds, and to invest in one fund that covers several companies, instead of investing separately in every local company that they believe creates a positive contribution to society.
“Its importance is further heightened during this time of the pandemic, as sustainable investment amplifies the Bank’s resiliency to unforeseen global or local crises” the Bank added.
