Vivant, partners set to complete EU-funded off-grid solar projects

MANILA, Philippines — Vivant Corp. and its partners are looking to complete all the solar energization activities of the European Union-funded Project Renewable Energy for Livelihood and Youth (RELY) by June this year.

Vivant, through Vivant Foundation Inc., is implementing all the solar energization activities of Project RELY in Cebu, Bohol and Palawan.

Project RELY is one of the seven awardees under the EU-Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP). It received a P120-million funding from the EU, as well as additional financing from the Federal Government of Germany. ASEP is a joint project of the Department of Energy and the EU that aims to assist the Philippines in expanding its sustainable energy generation to meet the growing needs of its economy and provide energy access to the poor and marginalized sector.

RELY aims to promote use of renewable energy 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 five partner senior high schools located closest to the off-grid schools.

“Work is ongoing for the energization of two more off-grid schools in Cebu (the islands of Moamboc and Mambacayao in Bantayan, Cebu). Completion is expected to be end of this month or early April,” Vivant said in an e-mail.

“For the energization of six off-grid schools in Palawan, the target completion is end of June,” it said.

In November last year, Project RELY completed the energization through solar of six island schools in Bohol province with Vivant Foundation and PROCESS-Bohol as implementing partners.

Earlier this month, solar energization projects were turned over at Carnaza Elementary School and at Carnaza National High School, located on an island off Daanbantayan in Cebu.

Under the project, Carnaza Elementary School is being powered by a photovoltaic (PV) system that has the capacity to generate 21,120 watts-peak (Wp) 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.

The installation of solar panels for two other schools in northern Cebu will start soon while work on the solar energization of six schools in Palawan will begin once all four identified off-grid schools in Cebu have been energized through solar.

“The partnership with the senior high school is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the solar energization component. EIM (electrical installation and maintenance) students who are now getting instruction on solar technology will be the one conducting the maintenance of the solar installation at the off-grid school,” Vivant Foundation executive director Shem Jose Garcia.

“This component of the project also aims to provide our youth opportunities in the future of energy,” he said.