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Add to Preferred SourcesA pilot project under an Asian Development Bank (ADB) technical assistance was inaugurated bringing 24-hour solar power to this small rural island in Antique Province, Philippines.
The Malalison Island Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Hybrid Pilot Project is a private sector joint venture with Antique Electric Cooperative (ANTECO), the electric distribution franchise holder, and One Renewable Energy Enterprise, Inc. (OREEI).
Malalison, a 55-hectare island in the municipality of Culasi, Antique Province, is one of many small islands in the Philippines where economic growth has been hampered by lack of livelihood opportunities and limited electricity service. The main industries on the island are tourism and fishing. On Malalison, electricity has been generated from diesel-fueled generators, providing power only four hours a day. Due to the costs and difficulties transporting fuel, the approximately 160 households on the island also have to pay a much higher tariff than those on the mainland where electricity is available 24 hours a day.
Under the pilot project, the existing diesel power plant is augmented by a solar PV system. The solar power generated by day is then stored in lithium-ion batteries. The system is a 50 kW solar PV system with a storage capacity of 273kWh, and supported by a 54 kW diesel generator.
The Islanders will enjoy reliable and continuous 24/7 electric services, allowing them greater income-generating opportunities, such as better food and lodgings to attract more tourism and refrigeration for fishers to preserve their catch and await better market prices.
The project will also pilot the use of a prepaid metering system to allow energy access to households that cannot afford monthly payments as well as to improve ANTECO’s billing and collection system. The system in Malalison will be the first electric cooperative to use an off-grid operation in the country. Based on its success, the feature may be used by other cooperatives.
The total project cost is $500,548, of which ADB is providing two $100,000 grants for the solar system and prepaid metering, respectively. ANTECO and OREEI are providing the remaining funding for the solar generation of $125,474 and $175,074, respectively.
Original source: ADB
Published on 04 April 2019