Gov’t resorts to green energy for remote areas
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The push for green energy is producing results in the country’s remotest villages.
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it would spend at least P92 million to provide 2,750 households in many of the country’s remote villages and islands with electricity derived from the power of the sun.
Regional energy department officials said the money would be spent to install what they called solar home systems in the households listed as beneficiaries of the government’s barangay electrification project.
The project seeks to bring electricity to every village in the country.
Project costs
Lourdes Arciaga, science research specialist of the DOE’s Visayas Field Office, said the project would bring solar power to 782 households in Luzon, 370 households in the Visayas and 1,598 households in Mindanao.
The funds earmarked for the project, said Arciaga, would also be used for what she said were “social preparations cost.”
These include forming so-called barangay power associations, or groups that would be in charge of maintaining solar power systems and recruiting more users to generate enough revenue to keep the solar power going.
Arciaga said funds would be also used for other operating and maintenance costs.
The bidding process for the project has already started, said Arciaga.
In the Visayas, Arciaga said the project would be rolled out in Bohol, Northern Samar and Cebu.
Arciaga said the project would benefit households located in off-grid areas or areas not covered by electric distribution utilities and cooperatives.
Apart from being located in off-grid areas, she said the households were chosen based on social acceptability and willingness to provide counterpart funding.
The solar home system that would be installed in each of the 2,750 households next year was the same system currently installed and used by 50 households in Barangay Alumar in Getafe, Bohol, according to Magdaleno Baclay Jr., senior science research specialist of the DOE Visayas Field Office.
P200 a month
The Barangay Alumar project cost P500,000. It was completed in 2008. JICA extended a financial assistance of P275,000 and counterpart funds were provided by the DOE, the local government and P1,500 in one-time fees from the 50 households.
“Solar power is energy efficient and environment-friendly. What is important is that power generation should be more than what you consume,” Baclay said.
In Bohol, each household has a monthly contribution of P200 to maintain the solar power system.
The energy department said 97.1 percent of the country’s 41,980 barangays have been electrified.
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it would spend at least P92 million to provide 2,750 households in many of the country’s remote villages and islands with electricity derived from the power of the sun.
Regional energy department officials said the money would be spent to install what they called solar home systems in the households listed as beneficiaries of the government’s barangay electrification project.
The project seeks to bring electricity to every village in the country.
Project costs
Lourdes Arciaga, science research specialist of the DOE’s Visayas Field Office, said the project would bring solar power to 782 households in Luzon, 370 households in the Visayas and 1,598 households in Mindanao.
The funds earmarked for the project, said Arciaga, would also be used for what she said were “social preparations cost.”
These include forming so-called barangay power associations, or groups that would be in charge of maintaining solar power systems and recruiting more users to generate enough revenue to keep the solar power going.
Arciaga said funds would be also used for other operating and maintenance costs.
The bidding process for the project has already started, said Arciaga.
In the Visayas, Arciaga said the project would be rolled out in Bohol, Northern Samar and Cebu.
Arciaga said the project would benefit households located in off-grid areas or areas not covered by electric distribution utilities and cooperatives.
Apart from being located in off-grid areas, she said the households were chosen based on social acceptability and willingness to provide counterpart funding.
The solar home system that would be installed in each of the 2,750 households next year was the same system currently installed and used by 50 households in Barangay Alumar in Getafe, Bohol, according to Magdaleno Baclay Jr., senior science research specialist of the DOE Visayas Field Office.
P200 a month
The Barangay Alumar project cost P500,000. It was completed in 2008. JICA extended a financial assistance of P275,000 and counterpart funds were provided by the DOE, the local government and P1,500 in one-time fees from the 50 households.
“Solar power is energy efficient and environment-friendly. What is important is that power generation should be more than what you consume,” Baclay said.
In Bohol, each household has a monthly contribution of P200 to maintain the solar power system.
The energy department said 97.1 percent of the country’s 41,980 barangays have been electrified.
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