Solar Cells Info

By Diana Uy / 24 March 2007
Source:Manila Standard Today
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=goodLife2_mar24_2007

While city folk bask in the glow of electric-powered light day in and out, our brothers in remote areas of Mindanao do not even own a single light bulb to their name.  Such is the case of 60 percent of the approximately 2,500 unelectrified barangays in the country, which consist of an average of 200 to 300 household-members each barangay.

“Most of these unelectrified areas are off-grid [or they are not reachable by power lines] and most of them are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” says Theresa Cruz Capellan, chief of party of Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy or Amore, a rural electrification program of the US Agency for International Development, Philippine Department of Energy, Mirant Philippines Foundation, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Winrock International.

According to Capellan, among the various reasons that such areas are unreachable by electric power lines is that it is either too expensive to install a power connection or the place is too isolated—most especially those in the islands or coastal areas. Without access to electricity, people instead use kerosene lamps or candles, which they still have to buy in the nearest city. What’s worse, some of them are still ignorant of how an electric light bulb looks like. In fact, Capellan recalls, one place she visited thought a fluorescent lamp as some sort of an ice block.

Thankfully, through the concerted efforts of the national government, NGOs, and other private sectors, social moves have been made to help alleviate the condition of our less fortunate brothers. One good example is the foundation of Amore.

From darkness to light

Using only available resources from the immediate environment, Amore is able to help out by installing solar panels to selected homes in powerless barangays. Otherwise, they use hydroelectric power depending on the geographical location of the barangay.  These solar panels can absorb from 20 to 50 watts, which can either power up two light bulbs and one radio for six hours (20 watts) or four light bulbs plus a 13-inch television set (50 watts).

“It’s really a matter of finding out what makes sense to the community and what is technologically possible,” explains Capellan.  Capellan is quick to add that just like most technology, solar panels are quite expensive. One 20-watt solar panel can cost about P20,000—which is relatively a lot more than Amore can afford if they want to light up more than 20,000 households and definitely costly for one provincial household to shoulder.

Amore solves the problem, though, by forming an organization within the community or in this case, a Barangay Renewable Energy and Community Development Association to help sustain the project as well as foster community bonding and unity. Working like a cooperative, the organization, headed by locals, collects P300 per month from each household installed with a solar panel. The collected funds are then pooled to pay for another solar panel for another household.

Such collection, however, Capellan admits, is not without resistance from the participating communities especially during its initial stages.  “One of our biggest challenges is the tariff. It is very difficult to convince them that they have to contribute a certain amount so that the other members of the community can also have access to electricity.”

Capellan says that some of them have to be cajoled that paying a small amount for their solar panel is almost similar to paying for their kerosene. Aside from that, solar panels are a lot safer and convenient to use.  Here again, Amore seeks help within the community, especially those who are waiting in line for their solar panels. Through “community pressure,” convincing the locals to pay for the tariff becomes less of a burden. Meaning, it’s the locals themselves who remind each other about their responsibility.

“These people can actually pay and they are really bankable. But you have to develop a system and invest time,” says Capellan.

Sharing the burden

Besides the equity participation of prospective clients and subsidy from DoE, partnering with QuedanCor, a micro-financing institution that provides a lease-to-own capital funding, will also help keep the project afloat. QuedanCor has promised to lend P100 million that could help finance for the solar panels of 20,000 homes maximum.

A world of difference

From 2002, Amore has already lighted 55 percent of its target in Tawi-Tawi, 29 percent in Sulu, 33 percent in Maguindanao, and 100 percent in off-grid barangays in Basilan. As of January this year, the rural electrification program has already lighted more or less 8,000 households.

Since the installation of the solar panels, as well as hydroelectric powers, these rural areas are now enjoying some of the things that Manileños take for granted. Now kids get to study longer especially at night. Locals have more time for other livelihood projects and they also get to watch television now. Thefts have also declined as well as uninvited visitors at night have gradually decreased. More importantly, “they have now more confidence, skills and drive to communally pursue their own development and ask support from other development partners.”

Currently, Amore is targeting 8,000 more households to benefit from the project. That number is only a fraction of the overall target of 22,440 electrically powered household by 2009, which is when the program supposedly ends.