MANILA — The National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP), an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), is seeking for research proposals for clean energy.
“This is the first time that the NRCP is looking for this kind of research proposals,” Ruby Raterta, chief science research specialist of NRCP’s Research and Development Management Institution (RDMD), told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview Friday.
She said that alternative energy is among the National Integrated Basic Research Agenda (NIBRA) under DOST’s Harmonized Research and Development Agenda. The NRCP implements NIBRA.
Having this call for proposals is also in line with the NRCP’s ALERT (Alternative Energy Research Trends) program, which aims to identify, characterize and assess the potential of alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass.
“It’s also good if the proposals are focused on GIDA (geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas),” said Raterta.
Research proposals can also be for commercial viability studies, she added.
“At NRCP, we usually receive basic research proposals. For the clean energy (research) proposals, we’ll be looking for assessments — what can be used and what can be contributed in GIDA,” Raterta said.
Who can send proposals?
All NRCP members are entitled to send proposals. For non-members, Raterta said they could still send proposals, but they would be invited to become members. “He/she must be a member before the board approves the project,” she noted.
The deadline is on June 20.
Raterta told PNA the NRCP targets to approve at least two proposals. However, if there will be more than two good proposals, the NRCP could endorse these for funding.
“There’s no limit for the number of proposals that we might approve, since we can endorse these to the DOST,” Raterta said. As for the funding, the NRCP also didn’t set a limit, as long as the Council could afford it.
Judging and processing proposals usually take three to four months, according to Raterta.
She clarified that approved research proposal/s will have the funding next year. (PNA)
