Solar-battery minigrids to rise in 12 towns

Solar Para Sa Bayan, a personal venture of Solar Philippines’ owner Leandro Leviste, is investing up to 12.4 billion to power up 12 poor towns in the country without any government subsidy.

Leviste, who spearheads the solar energy technology in the Philippines and has now the largest solar installations in the country, said they are implementing the investment in phases as consumption grows over the initial months of electrifying a town.

Once fully constructed, the average minigrid should cost 1100 million to 1200 million although the costs vary depending on the size, and some can indeed be much smaller, hence the term “minigrid.”

A minigrid is an integrated system that can operate independent from the main grid. Each community can have its own minigrid, to achieve the lowest cost and highest reliability. The 12 towns are all already electrified or will be electrified within the next 30 days.

Solar Para Sa Bayan is bringing 24/7 power to 12 towns in provinces including Mindoro, Palawan, Masbate, Cagayan, Aurora, the first time so many will get electricity at zero cost to government. It aims to bring 24/7 power to 500,000 Filipinos by the end of 2018.

“We have already established minigrids in Paluan and Lubang, Occidental Mindoro; Dumaran, Palawan; Claveria and San Pascual, Masbate; Calayan, Cagayan; and Dingalan, Aurora. We will announce the other towns by the time we complete those projects,” Leviste said in a statement. The solar-battery minigrids will not only benefit 200,000 Filipinos in 12 towns, but create healthy competition that benefits consumers across the country.

“If the mere specter of competition inspires electric utilities to improve their services, that is an affirmation of the need for healthy competition. If the entry of companies like us will end the complacency of incumbent monopolies, then our mission is accomplished,” Leviste said.