Black & Veatch and Carmen Copper win Enlit Asia Innovation Award for floating solar project in Cebu

Black & Veatch and Carmen Copper Corp. have received the Innovation Award at the 2026 Enlit Asia Awards for the Carmen Copper Floating Solar Project, a 4.996-MW floating solar facility on the Malubog Reservoir in Cebu, Philippines. The project is the country's first megawatt-scale floating PV instal

Black & Veatch and Carmen Copper Corp. have received the Innovation Award for Energy Transition and Emerging Solutions at the 2026 Enlit Asia Awards for the Carmen Copper Floating Solar Project, a groundbreaking renewable energy development in the Philippines. The project was also short-listed for Power Plant Project of the Year.

Located on the Malubog Reservoir in Cebu, the 4.996-MW floating solar facility is the Philippines' first megawatt-scale floating photovoltaic installation and supports operations at one of the nation's major copper mining sites. The award recognises the project's innovative approach to solving complex engineering, environmental and operational challenges.

Developing the project required a highly coordinated engineering strategy. Solar arrays were assembled on floating platforms made from recycled plastic components, then transported across the reservoir and connected in stages. Each section was positioned using sonar-guided GPS technology and secured through a sophisticated anchoring system to ensure long-term stability and performance.

Senior Vice-President and Head of APAC & India at Black & Veatch Jerin Raj said: "This award demonstrates the power of innovation and collaboration. Together with Carmen Copper, we delivered a first-of-a-kind floating solar project that demonstrates how industrial organisations can turn complex challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth. This project provides a blueprint for businesses across Asia seeking practical pathways to decarbonisation while maintaining operational performance."

Black & Veatch and Carmen Copper adopted a phased development model that began with technical validation and power system studies before progressing through front-end engineering and EPC delivery. This approach provided confidence in a concept that had not previously been deployed at this scale within the Philippines' mining sector.

By converting a man-made reservoir into a renewable energy asset, the development overcame land constraints, avoided disturbance of surrounding areas and provided a pathway for future industrial decarbonisation projects. Safety and workforce development were also central to the project's success: more than 250,000 safe man-hours were completed without any time lost caused by injury, while local workers received training and were integrated into project delivery teams.