Some 120 beneficiaries will be completely energized by the Solar PV DC Smart Grid System in Sitio Bubusawin, Aborlan town by the end of June as support for accessible renewable sources of electricity, in partnership with Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO).
Information officer Rex Ruta said the project under the Development for Renewable Energy Applications Mainstreaming and Market Sustainability (DREAMS) jointly implemented by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aims to energize the country’s households including Palawan. The funding came from the Global Environment Facility.
The PALECO and local government unit of Aborlan along with DOE signed a multi-stakeholder collaboration for off-grid electrification and productive use of renewable energy in local communities.
“DREAMS project siya na under rin ng DOE–that’s the goal kasi ang mapailawan ang buong Pilipinas. Wala pa (kasunod na munispyo), kasi nakadepende ‘yong project sa ibababa ni DOE” he said in a message.
The project amounting to P4.8 million also has a 9.9kWp Solar PV Powered Irrigation System for the benefit of the Bubusawin Farmer’s Association.
The electric cooperative visited the community on June 13 in Barangay Aporawan with the AIEC-ILAW, the contractor of the project, to assess the effectiveness and quality of the technology.
In a previous statement of UNDP, which also supports the project, the solar PV-powered DC Smart Grid system can provide cheaper electricity to individual households and even access to a power source during outages and times of calamities.
UNDP also noted that from around P1500 per month expenses on diesel, each household beneficiary will now only pay around Php 350 monthly with the newly installed solar PV systems. It could also potentially support the socio-economic development of households and businesses in Bubusawin.
“Maliban kasi sa mga ilaw ay nakakagamit na rin ng electric fan at portable television ang mga residente– Libre pa ang kuryente ng mga benepisyaryo sa ngayon habang inaasikaso pa ang policy guidelines na susundin at contract agreement na kasunduan sa pagitan ng Bubusawin Farmer’s Association, LGU-Aborlan at PALECO,” PALECO noted.
