Tarlac university makes new, improved solar generator

Researchers and engineers from Tarlac State University (TSU) have developed a multivoltage solar generator that can power the needs of an ordinary household with more than two air-conditioning units.

Julius Caesar Sicat, Department of Science and Technology Region 3 director, said that the successful research and development effort of the TSU, led by professor Rodel Botio, has fasttracked efforts to mainstream solar power technology in the country, and even globally, by showing that this can meet the electricity needs of an average, middle-class household.

“It can fill the power requirements of a house with three aircon units, a refrigerator, washing machine, rice cooker, and all the other usual household appliances,” Sicat told The STAR in a phone interview.

The usual drawback to tapping solar panel to supply electricity in a household is that it has limitations in the number of appliances it can power, almost always preventing the use of more than one airconditioning unit – and if a system can power more than one aircon unit, the system’s cost would be too expensive for an average household.

“This is a very impressive achievement,” Sicat said.

The DOST Region 3 had issued a mere P600,000 R&D grant under its Grants-in-Aid program. Through its GIA, the DOST provides assistance to local government units and academe to implement projects and conduct researches that will benefit marginalized people in communities.

The system, which cost P180,000 to develop and install, successfully hurdled pilot testing done by the DOST.

“With this local design, we reduced by more than half the usual cost of such a system,” Sicat said, adding that solar power home systems usually cost P1 million per house. He said the developed technology could be commercialized by the TSU.