To Cut Cost, Barangay to Install Solar Panels

To help save cost of power consumption, T. Padilla Barangay Captain Michael Ralota plans to install solar panels in his barangay hall to cut cost on their budget.

Ralota who sits as ex-officio member of the Cebu City Council, being the president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), narrated that his barangay is paying about P13,000 for electricity bills every month.

“Kon maka-operate na ang ipataud nako nga solar panel makadaginot na mi sa bayranan sa koryente. Gusto nako nga sundon kini sa ubang mga barangay,” said Ralota.

Solar panels are technically any kind of panel that uses solar thermal energy to produce electricity. There are variety of panel types, one type is use to heat water as with solar hot water panels, while the other type are those which are used to store solar energy, such as solar thermal energy panels.

Ralota admitted that at first the barangay needs to invest for the needed equipment and other materials, but he is optimistic that in five years time he can save more.

According to Ralota he was told that the installation of solar panels, including the needed batteries may cost about P8 million and the project will be taken from the barangay’s Local Development Fund (LDF) from City Hall.

Other barangays used their LDF for drainage and other infrastructure projects.