MLQU unveils solar power facility, the first in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) unveiled yesterday its newly-installed 96 kWp system and became the first university in Manila to use solar power.

MLQU’s system can power 28 percent of the school’s daily energy needs. The amount offset will greatly reduce MLQU’s monthly energy costs and save the equivalent of 720 trees.

Since MLQU’s consumption is greatest during the day when classes are ongoing and offices are operating, their solar power system allows them the best savings. MLQU has a total of 621 square meters of rooftop equipped with solar power.

MLQU signed a memorandum of agreement with the DOE and Propmech for the installation of solar PV net-metering facilities on their campus earlier this year. MLQU joins other Philippine schools in installing solar PV systems as part of DOE’s goal of doubling the country’s total RE (renewable energy) installation of 5,521 megawatts.

Among those schools are Mapua Institute of Technology, St. Scholastica’s College, and La Consolacion College-Manila. The DOE project aims to install up to 100 kW rooftop solar PV systems to power the aforementioned schools to aid in lowering their power costs.

The net metering mechanism under RA 9513 allows customers of distribution utilities who own renewable energy facilities to export their system’s excess energy back to the DU’s distribution system.

Propmech Corp. handled the installation of MLQU’s solar PV system. Propmech, a Filipino-owned business, is a local solar PV system provider, having completed several projects such as the ADB solar power plant, the rural electrification of the Philippine government as well as Meralco’s solar PV system installed at the Meralco Fitness Center.