Project RELY energizes schools in Cebu

PROJECT Renewable Energy for Livelihood and Youth (RELY), an endeavor supported by the European Union, has energized two remote island schools in northern Cebu through a solar power system that could generate over 42,000 watts-peak (Wp) of electricity.

The project team, led by RELY Project Director Sabine Schacknat, completed the installation of the solar power system with the help of school officials and community leaders amid Covid-19 related protocols.

The team turned over the solar energization projects at Carnaza Elementary School and at Carnaza National High School, located on an island off Daanbantayan in Cebu last March 19.

Under the project, Carnaza Elementary School is being powered by a PV system that has the capacity to generate 21,120Wp of electricity. The system includes 64 PV modules, inverters and batteries. Carnaza National High School, located on the other side of Carnaza Island, has an installation with a similar generation capacity.

“We look forward to the time when the students are able to come to school physically and experience how their learning conditions have improved. For now, the fully energized schools are helping teachers prepare the modules that their students need,” said Schacknat.

EU Ambassador Luc Véron said the project reflects the EU’S policy, which considers renewable energy (RE) as a critically important enabler for a sustainable planet.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change is a joint priority with the Philippines and this project contributes to it in a small but meaningful way,” he said.

RELY aims to promote use of RE to improve lives and foster climate change mitigation in poor and remote communities by energizing 16 off-grid public schools in Cebu, Bohol and Palawan. The approach combines solar electrification with community development and improved vocational education by collaborating with 5 partner senior high schools located closest to the off-grid schools.

For Carnaza, the partner senior high school is Daanbantayan National High School which received from Project RELY a set of tools and equipment to upgrade the technical-vocational track for Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) of Daanbantayan National High School. Since the donation was turned over in June 2019, Daanbantayan National High School EIM students have been able to acquire knowledge and skills related to solar technology.

Project RELY’S implementing partners are Vivant Foundation and PROCESS Bohol.