Unioil Petroleum Philippines, Inc. is going full swing with its recently launched Doing Our Part campaign. The independent oil retailer has officially opened its first ever Unioil Solar Hybrid service branch at Congressional Avenue Extension in Quezon City. It is also the first of its kind in the Philippines.
This hybrid service station is partially powered by solar energy, which is harnessed through the Smartflower, a unique and sophisticated system that features an automated sun tracking technology, making it up to 40% more efficient compared to conventional fixed-type solar panels available. It is estimated that every Smartflower unit can lower carbon footprint by about 4.7 metric tons annually, equivalent to planting about 5,000 trees each year.
In a previous interview with Tech and Lifestyle Journal during the recent Doing Our Part campaign launch, Unioil President Kenneth Pundanera revealed that this hybrid service station will be powered by a combination of solar energy (during daytime) and commercially available electricity.
First EV charging site
Another major feature of this first hybrid service station is Unioil’s first electric vehicle (EV) charging station. Although this is not the first EV charging station in the country (the pioneer was Meralco’s eVehicle Power Station that was inaugurated in March 2013), it is the first by a local gasoline station. A major oil player is set to open its first EV charging station this month (December).
“We are proud to open the first of many Unioil EV charging stations aimed at promoting the use of electric vehicles in the country,” said Unioil Vice President Noel Soriano in a speech he delivered during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 27, 2017. “We invite everyone to visit our Unioil hybrid station to see and experience the future.”
Cars of the future
The state-of-the-art Mitsubishi i-MiEV fully-electric vehicle and the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) were also showcased during the opening of Unioil’s EV charging station.
“We commend Unioil for its initiative to showcase renewable energy in its first hybrid gasoline station,” said Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corporation Vice President for Business Planning and Public Relations Department Renato Lampano.
“Like Unioil, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation is striving to reduce carbon footprint by developing technologies for improving fuel economy and electric-powered systems,” Lampano added.