VIA GRAPHIC PLUS | SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE, Zambales— Datian Subic Shoes Inc., the Philippine manufacturing arm of Taiwan’s Datian Shoes, has energized 3.06 megawatts-peak (MWp) of rooftop solar across its two plants in Subic Bay.
Developed, financed, and operated by Berde Renewables, the systems are expected to reduce the factories’ reliance on grid electricity by more than 40 percent, with no upfront capital investment from Datian. The project is also one of the largest rooftop solar installations by a manufacturer in the Subic Bay Freeport.
The project comprises 2.063 MWp at Factory 1 and 1.0 MWp at Factory 2, using 4,834 bifacial solar modules and 17 inverters. The systems are expected to generate about 4 GWh in their first year and over 80 GWh for the 20-year contract, avoiding about 3,232 tonnes of CO₂ a year, equivalent to planting roughly 122,000 trees annually.
For Datian, which has more than 5,000 employees in the country, the shift addresses three pressures facing Philippine exporters: energy costs, customer emissions requirements and power reliability.
As global footwear brands tighten supply-chain emissions rules, the installation gives Datian verifiable energy data to support its customers’ sustainability reporting. By generating a significant share of its daytime power on site, Datian can also reduce its reliance on the grid during operating hours, helping protect its equipment from grid fluctuations that have previously caused damage at its plants.
“Our customers expect us to be a reliable long-term partner, and that now includes powering our factories with clean energy,” said Vincent Chen, President of Datian Subic Shoes Inc. “This investment strengthens our position as a global supplier and reinforces our commitment to the local economy. Through our partnership with Berde, we did it without diverting capital from production.”
No Upfront Capital, No Maintenance Burden
Datian partnered with Berde Renewables under a 20-year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) power purchase agreement. Berde financed, designed and built the solar systems and will own, operate and maintain them throughout the contract term.
Berde’s engineering team and contractors completed the project even through the July–September 2026 monsoon season, logging 35,550 safe man-hours with zero lost-time injuries. The systems are built to local and international standards, with top-tier equipment throughout, from modules and inverters to mounting systems and rapid shutdown technology.
“Datian treated energy as a strategic input, not a utility bill,” said Patrick Zhu, CEO of Berde Renewables. “Manufacturers in the Subic Freeport compete on cost, delivery and, increasingly, on the emissions profile of what they ship. Datian is ahead on all three.”
The partnership with Berde also gives Datian a fixed tariff cost, locked in ahead of recent disruptions in global energy markets, leaving the company better positioned to manage rising costs and price volatility.
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