At the northern tip of Occidental Mindoro, Paluan now hosts a 6-megawatt microgrid that uses a “hybrid” system of solar panels and diesel-powered generators, which would produce electricity for as little as P9 per kilowatt hour. Filipino enterpriseThe panels were supplied by Solar Philippines, the first Filipino-owned solar panel maker based in Sto. Gerry Causapin, a priest in the town, said excess electricity from the microgrid could be used by nearby towns. Leviste’s company offered to sell electricity at just P9 per kilowatt hour, which was lower by more than half the current cost of power from the main grid. Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Sato said she initially had doubts about the reliability of solar power but now believed that “this project should be replicated all across Mindoro.”The Paluan microgrid marked the launch of “Solar Para Sa Bayan,” Solar Philippines’ campaign to bring power to the country’s remote areas.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 18, 2018 21:11 UTC