DOE, European Union to energize Mindanao households

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) and the European Union (EU) are energizing 100,000 households in Mindanao through solar home systems (SHS) as part of their program to power up off-grid communities in the country.

The EU provided a €60 million grant to the Philippine government for the implementation of a program that would increase the share of indigenous and renewable sources in the energy mix and expand the access to electricity services in remote areas and populations and to pursue new energy efficiency strategies.

So far, the program has installed SHS in Sitio New Mabuhay, Bgy. Little Baguio in the municipality of Malita, Davao Occidental.

About 100 recipient households are already enjoying the benefits of superior lighting from solar PV.

These installations in New Mabuhay represent an “electrification with livelihood” approach for off-grid areas.

The switch-on ceremony highlights the productive use of renewable energy for increased income generation in rural communities.

These initiatives are supported by the DOE and EU through the Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP).

Under ASEP’s photovoltaic (PV) mainstreaming program, about 40,500 SHS each with a 50-watt peak capacity will be installed in remote off-grid communities in various provinces in Mindanao.