Philippines 10-M Solar Power Project Brings Light to Bohol’s Pamilacan Island

A PHP10-million solar power project was launched on Thursday to partially supply power to one of Bohol’s islands to prove the feasibility of renewable energy as power source for the province.

The solar power project named “Kahayag sa Pamilacan” (The Light of Pamilacan) aims to provide electricity to the whole island from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

After that, the diesel-powered generators supplied by local power cooperative Bohol Electric Cooperative I (BOHECO I) will continue to provide electricity to the island from 4:00 a.m. until midnight.

The proponent of the project is WeGen Distributed Energy Philippines, a new player in the Philippine renewable energy sector. WeGen installed a 39kWp solar photovoltaic and battery storage system, aiming to provide energy to at least 300 households, according to the company’s press release. The WeGen system comprises 135 monocystalline solar panels connected to deep-cycle silicon power maintenance-free and eco-friendly batteries with a capacity of 200 ampere hours.

The solar panels are mounted on the rooftop of the Pamilacan National High School building, which was chosen for its ideal location. The solar panels have an expected lifespan of 25 years.

The distributed energy solutions show how an island can be a model to the entire province of Bohol in meeting the rising demand for power.

Bohol is highly dependent on Leyte for its power needs. About 87 percent of Bohol’s power is sourced out from neighboring Leyte. Any disruptions in the power link and downtime of power plants in Leyte can greatly impact Bohol.

Bohol is expected to have an increased demand for power as a result of the increased influx of tourists and more investments across industries. (Dave Albarado/PNA)