Earth-friendly Christmas Tree Celebrates
Switch to Solar-Powered Home Electrification

Secretary Angelo T. Reyes and United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney led a gathering of rural electrification stakeholders in lighting the 53-foot solar-powered Christmas tree two weeks before Christmas. By using thirty-five solar modules donated by Sunpower Corporation, and by adorning the tree with fifty thousand energy-efficient LED (light emitting diodes) lamps, the occasion highlighted the huge potential of renewable energy in the Philippines and need for energy efficient lighting. In the ceremony, the Department of Energy announced the launch of a household electrification program which aims to energize a million households in yet un-served areas through renewable energy.

All the barangays are just months away from being energized. Currently, less than a thousand villages are without access to electricity. In 2009, all these communities will be served and three million families are also scheduled to benefit from the power of lighting.
A 53-foot Christmas tree stands on the grounds of San Miguel Bay of the SM Mall of Asia. AMORE leads the installation of no less than 35 solar panels to emphasize use of renewable energy in lighting. All solar panels were donated by Sunpower Corporation, an American solar cell manufacturer located in Sta Rosa, Laguna. Each solar panel generates 210 watts of energy. This generated energy from the sun is converted to direct current and stored in twenty-four batteries.  About 7.3kw energy will be produced by this solar panel installation. It will be enough to light the thousands of LED bulbs adorning the Christmas tree for the entire holiday season.
Light Emitting Diodes were used to adorn the trees to optimize solar energy. Firefly Lighting sponsored the construction of the Christmas tree. About 50,000 LED lamps, consuming only up to 3,000 watts, were installed. With incandescent bulbs, it would have required 15,000 kw of power to light the fifty-three-foot Christmas tree. This translates into a savings of about Php756 per day.
LEDs are light emitting diodes made of solid state semi-conductor materials. They are the safest and most environment friendly lighting technology as no harmful chemicals and gases like mercury and argon are used. LEDs last 100,000 hours and are considered the most energy efficient lighting.
The Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) explained that the switch to solar energy to power up the energy-efficient LED lights adorning the Christmas tree is a good demonstration of a social movement united towards improving the lives of the poorest of the poor, while promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency. AMORE program is a DOE-supported, USAID-funded rural electrification effort in Mindanao. It has lighted 12,000 homes in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga Peninsula, and the Cotabato as well as Davao.