Startups Pitched Their Innovative Energy Solutions at the Largest Energy Event in the Philippines

Wazzup PIlipinas!

Impact Hub Manila in partnership with Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF) and Terrapinn, held the largest energy event -- Power & Electricity World Philippines and The Solar Show last May 24 to 25. The event took place at the SMX Convention Center, where energy innovation-centric corporations and startups gathered. The event brought together 150+ sponsors and exhibitors, 100+ speakers, and 5,000+ attendees to discuss about development, investment and partnership opportunities in the Philippines’ energy sector. Bob Calingo, Executive Director of the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), shared during his opening speech, “Renewable energy through social enterprise can be a response to the context of poverty alleviation”. 

Bob Calingo, Executive Director of Peace and Equity Foundation, opened the event at the Solar Show Philippines.

Fifteen startups with promising innovative energy solutions were also invited to participate in the exhibit and pitching competition, namely: Uproot Aquaponics, Urban Greens, Hi-Gi Energy, Kasolar.ph, sunEtrike, E2T2 Corporation, OneWatt, HydroPlus, Tubig Kanlungan Foundation Inc., Amatera Solar Technologies, San Jose Renewable Energy, SolarSolutions, ElectriCChain, SALt, and CleverHeat.

SolarSolutions, whose main business is building Solar Sari-Sari Stores in provinces, won the Energy Innovation Arena and brought home the $10,000 check. They help and train communities with scarce resources of potable and viable water through solar power pumps, precipitation devices, and rain water harvest. SolarSolutions is also one of the recent winners of the Impact Hub Fellowship (Incubation) program that concluded last April.

The jury for the pitch (Left to Right: Matthias Jaeggi, Matthias Gelber, Paul Clark, Omar Salva, Fritize Vergel, Ces Rondario)            

Ces Rondario, co-founder of Impact Hub Manila, shared: “It is through collaborations with organizations such as PEF and Terrapinn that help create a bigger impact on the community. Events and pitching competitions such as this, empower promising startups to help marginalized communities through their innovative and sustainable solutions. We will definitely have more future collaborations with both local and global organizations for the entrepreneurial community to look forward to.”

Impact Hub Manila offers coworking spaces, incubation programs, corporate innovation workshops, and a vibrant learning community. Locally rooted and globally connected, Impact Hub continues to dominate the coworking industry as the largest global network of entrepreneurs with 15,000+ members in 102 Impact Hubs around the world. In partnership with KMC Solutions, Impact Hub Manila offers 6 key locations in Metro Manila for coworking or office space. This allows flexibility and convenience to entrepreneurs and startups who are passionate in collaborating to create an impact. Members can choose their preferred homebase (location) and move around other Impact Hub coworking spaces with no additional costs.

Visit impacthub.ph to know more about Impact Hub Manila and their coworking spaces. Follow Impact Hub Manila on Facebook or Twitter to get real-time updates on events and announcements.

Scaled-Down E-Trike Project to Push Through

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy (DOE) will push through with the long-delayed E-Trike Project although on a much smaller scale from the original 100,000 units to just 3,000 and from the original project cost of P21.672 billion to P1.73 billion.

According to Assistant Secretary Leonido Pulido III, despite the many challenges faced by the project from previous Administrations, now nearing the end of its five-year loan term period, the DOE will move to showcase the potential use of clean and diversified energy technologies through the E-Trike.

The DOE headed by Secretary Alfonso Cusi moved to partially cancel the loan contract last year as the Department wanted to revisit all the options available in view of significant flaws in the project’s design, including the choice of just one model and pricing concerns.

Since the approval of the E-Trike Project by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in June 2013, recorded investments in e-trike manufacturing and support reached P500 million and generated 14,840 jobs as of the end of 2016, according to the Board of Investments and Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines.

This month, NEDA-Investment Coordination Committee took note of the DOE proposal last March on the revised project implementation, including the additional deployment options and arrangements.

As there would be substantial changes in the project, the DOE is securing amendments to the loan, Project Administration Manual and related documents with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The current DOE leadership is pushing through with the procurement of the 3,000 units of e-trikes instead of 100,000 units because this had already been contracted by the previous Administration.

Pulido explained that the DOE decided on 3,000 e-trike units as a sufficient quantity to demonstrate the viability of the technology.

"Sustainability dictates that the appropriate eco-system be in place to support the e-trike beyond deployment or at the point of sale. The terms of the contract of the winning bidder under the project include after-sales support and warranty. This sends a clear and strong signal to the public to make the switch to e-trikes," Pulido said.

Prior to the E-Trike Project, there had been previous attempts to deploy electric tricycles in various parts of the country. However, these early attempts failed because after-sales support was absent or inadequate.

In fact, during the pilot study which served as the basis for the E-Trike Project conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2011, after-sales support and warranty were key lessons learned that would determine the success or failure of the e-trike, Pulido pointed out.

Nonetheless, he said, the DOE is committed to working with the ADB and other government partners to address the socially sensitive issue of the project regarding price.

The DOE also noted that ADB’s international competitive bidding rules were observed in every step of the project.

The original project scope of deploying 100,000 e-trike units with a total project cost of P21.672 billion required various arrangements involving the government, the private sector and ADB.

Nevertheless, the DOE acted to ensure that the project would benefit the public at minimal cost to taxpayers. Proof of this is the downscaling of the project cost from a whopping P21 billion to just P1.73 billion.

Pulido said the project is an investment not only in technology and the environment but more importantly, a socio-economic investment that would jumpstart a nascent industry, generate jobs and ensure sustainable energy consumption in the country.

Tañon Strait Celebrates 19th Year as Protected Area

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Celebrating nearly two decades as a protected area is the Tañon Strait, a 161-kilometer strip which separates the islands of Cebu and Negros. It is incredibly rich in biodiversity – hosting 62% of the country’s coral species, plus 14 species of whales and dolphins.

Declared as the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS) by then-president Fidel Ramos on May 27, 1998, the area provides seafood and jobs for 42 towns, cities and municipalities. Sadly, the Strait was threatened by commercial fishers who illegally enter and fish – ignoring a ban on commercial fishing for both municipal waters and protected areas. The various law enforcement agencies have since conducted regular joint sea-borne operations to stop the plunder of our marine resources in the area.

Figures released by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region Seven showed increased fish landings since 2014.

Marine conservation nonprofits Oceana Philippines and Rare Philippines are working hand-in-hand with the government plus local fisheries champions to end illegal commercial fishing in the Strait and ensure effective conservation and sustainable fisheries management for this part of the Coral Triangle. Vessel monitoring measures are being pilot tested and local enforcers are being empowered.