MANILA — The Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with the National Electrification Administration and the European Union – Access to Sustainable Energy Program (EU-ASEP), will place renewable energy-based applications in three off-grid areas located in Mindanao and Bohol.
Energizing the off-grid areas aims to spur economic development there, DOE Undersecretary Jesus Posadas said in a statement.
The three pilot sites are located in Sitio New Mabuhay in Malita and Sitio Mahayag in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental, and in Barangay Banacon in Getafe, Bohol.
“Most of the poorest of the poor in remote and far-flung areas are not connected to the main grids of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao — the so-called off-grid areas,” Posadas said.
He said the off-grid areas are currently being powered using diesel generators, which is the costliest power source.
Posadas said energizing the off-grid areas would start the economic and social activities there, adding that decentralized mini-grids and solar home systems could revolutionize the energization in these areas.
Meanwhile, the DOE said the EU-ASEP conducted feasibility studies to identify common agricultural activities in the areas where small renewable energy-based productive applications could be utilized to improve production for economic growth.
“The studies revealed that agricultural production is way higher when using small RE-based productive applications, thus contributing more to the economic growth of the area,” the DOE said. (DOE PR)
