Pursuing Distributed Renewable Energy Systems (DRES)

through RE Pilots in Disadvantaged, Marginalized Areas

C.R.I.S.P. Renewable Energy Projects

 

C.R.I.S.P.   RE Projects

Research and innovation are among the major programs of the CentRE in order to contribute in accelerating RE deployment in the country through research and innovation. For this, CentRE has undertaken various activities towards developing RE models that are CRISP – catalytic, replicable, innovative, scalable, and participatory. These CRISP RE projects are to be piloted in marginalized communities particularly in Sorsogon and Romblon, in collaboration with the local government units, electric cooperatives, people’s organizations and the private sector.

 

The RE projects that are currently in the initial development stage include  solar power sharing system, solar thermal dryer, pico hydro, vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), and RE-powered municipal fishing boat.

 

These RE projects are envisioned not only to address energy poverty in these economically and socially disadvantaged areas, but also contribute in the local social and economic development in a sustainable and participatory manner.  Part of the desired outputs aside from actual RE system, are determination of innovative financing scheme and formulation of policy recommendations that would make access to RE system more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable even for smaller stakeholders. 

 

The CentRE believes that political will of the local government, private sector partnership, and awareness and ownership by broad segment of a community would be instrumental in the realization of RE projects. Part of the activities of the CentRE, therefore, include facilitating meetings with experts, developers, among others, and providing other technical support. Further, the CentRE also conducts awareness-raising and capacity building for and with local partners and networks.

Solar Power Sharing Distributed Energy Resources (SPIDER)

     The SPIDER is a system that shares distributed energy resources (DER), specifically through solar PV installed on rooftops of public and residential buildings to enable stakeholders access cleaner, more affordable, and sustainable energy while meeting their social and economic needs. 

   The three key components in this project are the DER, own-use kooperative (OK), and the community choice aggregation (CCA). The DER or Distributed Energy Resources will be the source of power. The Own-use Kooperative, the main component, will be the platform for power-sharing, and the CCA or Community Choice Aggregation is the method of enabling broader public use of grid-tied renewable energy.

     With the system, the rooftop solar PV will be installed on a designated building and the solar power will be divided and shared among the host and the members of the cooperative or cluster, the OK. OK members must be geographically close to their host. The generated solar power will be first consumed by the host and the excess will be distributed to the OK members through an independent wire or the local distribution lines of the EC. The project will be first tested for a minimum of 6 months in the following locations: LGU Multipurpose Hall, Irosin Plaza, Gallanosa High School, Holy Spirit School, and Irosin District Hospital which will have a total capacity of 400 kW.

(Implementing partners: Local Government Unit of Irosin, Enerpower Access Solution, Inc.)

e-TAKSI

The elektrikong-Transportasyon Akma at Pang-angat Kabuhayan sa Irosin (e-TAKSI) project aims to to introduce e-vehicles into Irosin’s transport system as a sustainable and efficient strategy to boost the local economy while also reducing carbon emissions and advancing RE technology. To finance this pilot project, partnerships with Landbank and the Office of the Vice President are being explored to finance this pilot project whereing 60 locally assembled e-trikes and a booking mobile application will be used. Each e-TAKSI will have a capacity of 6 passengers, or 4 with social distancing. This can be integrated with the SPIDER project by utilizing solar power to charge the e-TAKSI vehicles.

(Implementing partner: Local Government Unit of Irosin, Irosin Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association)  

solar thermal dryer

This project aims to address the significant decrease of yield (14% per season) in rice production due to premature spoiling when sun drying is used because the drying is uneven. The solar thermal dryer supplies more heat to dry the product efficiently and faster than sun-drying under ambient conditions. It requires less land area for drying and also secures an enclosed space from dust, insects, and animals.


The proposed design is an indirect type forced convection solar dryer. Indirect solar drying is beneficial because the produce will not be directly exposed to solar radiation. This will minimize discoloration and cracking on the surface of the produce. In this design, the air heater is also separated from the drying chamber. With this configuration, better control in drying is achieved without compromising the quality of the produce. Another addition to the design was the use of trays to minimize the size of the dryer itself, effectively reducing the cost of the dryer. The calculations for the solar thermal dryer are being finalized along with the materials and equipment needed for the prototype construction.


(Implementing partner: Local Government Unit of Irosin, Irosin Farmers Federation)

vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT)

Wind energy can also be harnessed in Irosin’s valley floor which is surrounded by mountains. The initial research done by CentRE’s research associates compared the existing vertical axis wind turbine studies and investigated the feasibility of having a vertical axis type wind farm in the Philippines. Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) have blades that are vertically oriented and rotate around a vertical axis. VAWTs are significantly smaller than horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) and only require a minimum start-up speed of 4-6 m/s. They are usually placed 10 m off the ground but it can also be placed on rooftops, streets, or gardens.  It can generate an estimated 200W to 10kW, it can be used as a stand alone or grid system, and can be paired with other energy conversion systems. The common VAWT types are the Savonius model and Darrieus model.


Using historical wind speed values from 2013 and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) RE Data Explorer, the possible locations where VAWT systems can be put up were evaluated. Taking into account the land elevation, the following were the candidate sites: Cogon, Casini, Cawayan, Mapaso, Liang, and Salvacion. The ideal conditions are high wind speed of course, high wind power density, flat land with a slope of less than 7% and is not part of the Philippines competitive RE zone. Since the initial calculations were based on historical data, this needs verification from present-day measurements. Other coastal LGUs can also be explored.

(Implementing partner: Local Government Unit of Irosin)

 


RE Empowering Fisherfolks (REEF)

The REEF, is a conceptual project that aims to redesign an existing municipal fishing boat that runs on diesel to one that is made of fiberglass and powered by solar energy. This also includes determining the projected cost of constructing a prototype. To cut on costs, the electric engine system will be tested on the existing fishing boats in Romblon. The original proposal included the construction of solar charging station near the port but due to budget constraints, the initial prototype will be charged on-grid. Currently, the team is finalizing the model selection and evaluating viable financial models for the fisherfolk.


The implementing partner in this project is Romblon Electric Cooperative (ROMELCO) whose 90-10 vision (90% RE) on energy source to realize 100% electrification and address climate change has led it to also venture into the electrification of vehicles including boats, which are essential for the islands’ fishing livelihood, a major industry in Romblon.

 

Questions?

For inquiries or partnership, contact info@thecentre.ph