Vivant Foundation, Inc., the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Cebu-based energy company Vivant Corporation, has secured its first international grant to expand its Project Liadlaw and cover more off-grid communities in Cebu, Bohol and Palawan.
Vivant and co-applicants Germany-based non-government organization Sequa gGmbH and Process-Bohol were among the organizations chosen to benefit from the European Union’s Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (EU-ASEP), which aims to support the electrification of 100,000 households in the Philippines.
Under Project Renewable Energy for Livelihood and Youth (RELY), Vivant and its partners aim to power up more off-grid communities in Cebu, Bohol and Palawan.
The EU said it will contribute €2.2 million (roughly P132.5 million) grant to Sequa, Vivant and Process-Bohol to promote “the use of renewable energy to improve livelihoods and climate resilience in off-grid, poor and remote communities in the Philippines, specifically in Region VII (Central Visayas) and IV-B (Mimaropa).”
The EU said it signed a total of seven contracts on December 13, 2018 to help provide clean energy to 40,000 households in the Philippines.
The seven projects, which will be launched in January 2019, aim to provide clean energy to 40,000 households in the Philippines.
These are seen to complement the Department of Energy's program that aims to achieve 100-percent electrification in the country by 2020.
Vivant launched Project Liadlaw, an electrification project targeting off-grid schools combined with education in solar technology, in January 2018.
It has, so far, benefited Hilotongan Integrated School, an off-grid school in Bantayan, Cebu where a solar power system produces up to 50 kilowatts to power up more than 50 computers.
The solar power system was installed by Vivant in partnership with Chinese solar panels manufacturer ET.
Another component of Project Liadlaw is the teacher training program and equipment donation for a technical-vocational course in Electronic Installation and Maintenance with Solar to ensure that the locals are equipped with the skills and tools necessary to maintain and repair the solar power system installed by Vivant.
Vivant had selected Bantayan National School for this project component and worked with the Department of Education and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) to come up with the curriculum.
Aside from the project proposed by Vivant, Sequa and Process-Bohol, six other projects were approved for EU assistance. These are:
1. Strengthening Off-grid Lighting with Appropriate Renewable Energy Solutions (SOLARES): €5 million grant to MAHINTANA - Solar Home Systems (SHS) coupled with livelihood activities will be provided to 5,000 households of poor areas of North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao;
2. Improving the Lives of People in Off-Grid Communities in Mindanao through the Provision of Sustainable Energy: €4.5 million grant to YAMOG – A total of 5,000 households are targeted in North and South Cohabit as well as in Davao Oriental. 3,800 households will be provided Solar Home Systems while 1,200 will gain access to energy through pico-hydropower;
3. SolarBnB Microhotel & Island Livelihood Energizer Platform (SMILE): €3.9 million grant to KABANG KALIKASAN (WWF) – This action brings 24-hour energy access to 4 poor, remote island communities by integrating proven components of successful electrification and livelihood projects into a comprehensive small island electrification model while serving growing demand for eco-tourism & adventure travel. Local stakeholders include island communities, EC’s Siargao Electric Cooperative (SIARELCO) and Dinagat Electric Cooperative (DIELCO), the Dinagat and Siargao Tourism Councils, and the Municipality of Carmen;
4. Renewable energy technology for seaweed value added in Tawi-Tawi (RETS): €4.2 million grant to UNIDO – This action aims to increase electricity access in the island of Tawi-Tawi, particularly in seaweed producing municipalities; improvement of the delivery of community services such as health and nutrition, education, sanitation through the availability of electricity services in off-grid and rural seaweed farming communities and increase the value added of seaweed farming its income generation potential;
5. Renewable Energy Access for off-grid Communities and Households (REACH): € 3.7 million grant to CLOVEK (PEOPLE IN NEED) - The action aims to enhance social welfare, disaster-resilience and economic growth of vulnerable off-grid communities in remote areas of Northern Samar through innovative, scalable, and sustainable renewable energy technologies and systems; and
6. Clean Energy Living Laboratories (CELLs): The development of centres of excellence on energy access, renewable energy, and energy efficiency €3.8 million grant to Ateneo de Manila University - A Centre of Excellence, based in a University with regional antennas in Davao and Cebu, will be the national reference for renewable energy and correspondent of Energy4ALL initiative. (Ventures Cebu)
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