Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy Program

SunPower Corporation has pledged to back up the third phase of the Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy program, which aims to push renewable energy development, education and training in the Philippine island.

Through its nonprofit organization SunPower Foundation, the company will provide technology, equipment and volunteers to install solar energy systems in 150 schools. The systems will generate electricity for the schools’ basic lighting, computers and Internet connectivity, which will benefit about 135,000 students.

SunPower will also strive to supply electricity to 12,000 homes through solar power and other renewable energy systems such as micro hydro.

In addition, the foundation will assist in energy education activities that will pique students’ interests on renewable energy and environmental issues, and promote various careers in clean energy and other technical fields.

SunPower will specifically carry out the Mindanao program’s solar technical training activities, which are expected to bring in new solar engineers and technicians.

"We are very pleased to continue our affiliation with this third phase of the program, which supports the mission of the SunPower Foundation to 'give back' through education and building stronger communities," said Jan Soderstrom, the company’s chief marketing officer and a member of the foundation’s board of directors.

The foundation’s support will begin by year-end and will last until 2014.

The Mindanao renewable energy program lights up conflict-affected rural communities in the region through stand-alone renewable energy systems. It is a public-private collaboration between the Philippine Department of Energy and American institutions such as Winrock International, United States Agency for International Development and SunPower Foundation.

The seven-year program aims to establish sustainable clean energy systems in at least 500 communities in Western and Central Mindanao.

The first phase of the program has already supplied power to about 86 communities in 2004 and 20 more the following year. The second phase provided 27 communities with photovoltaic solar systems from May to December of 2005.

California-based SunPower has been an active partner in the program since 2004. Its foundation already provided volunteers and solar technology for installations for approximately 6,000 homes and schools to date, said Ms. Soderstrom.

SOURCE: http://ecoseed.org/en/general-green-news/renewable-energy/solar-energy/photovoltaic/7011-SunPower-lights-up-Filipino-homes-and-schools-in-Mindanao