NATION

Renewable boost for remote Palawan: U.S. donates solar-powered mobile energy units

DT · May 21, 2025, 3:37 AM

U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson (second from right) joins officials from the Philippine Department of Energy, the National Power Corporation, and USAID during the turnover ceremony of three U.S.-donated mobile energy systems (MES) on 16 May 2025 in Puerto Princesa City. The solar-powered units aim to boost electricity access in Palawan’s remote and disaster-prone areas. — Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Remote areas in Palawan are getting a much-needed power upgrade with the U.S. government’s donation of three mobile energy systems (MES) equipped with solar panels and high-capacity batteries. U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson led the turnover on 16 May at the National Power Corporation (NPC) Irawan Switching Station, highlighting the role of these mobile units in powering disaster response and reaching off-grid communities.

Each MES—part of the USAID Energy Secure Philippines program—is designed to deliver sustainable and portable electricity, especially in disaster-prone or energy-deprived areas. The donation marks another step toward achieving the Philippines’ energy resilience goals.

“The MES are not just equipment. They are essential tools of resilience and innovation that have been proven to provide power to some of the most remote locations in the country,” Ambassador Carlson said in her remarks. “On behalf of the U.S. government, I thank the DOE, the NPC, the Energy Regulatory Commission, and all our partners for their leadership and collaboration in making sure that no Filipino is left in the dark, no matter where they live.”

The MES will be integrated into microgrids maintained by the NPC, delivering life-sustaining power to some of the most remote and disaster-prone locations in the country.

The high-capacity solar-powered units are designed to deliver reliable electricity to off-grid and disaster-affected communities in Palawan. — Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy

Each MES unit is equipped with 9.18 kW of solar panels and a battery capacity of up to 70 kilowatt-hours—enough to power 10 Filipino households for a day. On a single charge, it can support a disaster response team for a full week, providing power for satellite internet connectivity, five computers, ten mobile phones, ten two-way radios, and two electric fans.

This is the latest batch of MES units donated by the United States to support the Philippines in achieving its energy goals under USAID’s Energy Secure Philippines program. In 2024, the U.S. government turned over one MES unit to the DOE’s Emergency Operations Center in Manila and two MES units to the municipalities of Lal-lo and Santa Ana in Cagayan.

Four more MES units will be deployed in the Philippines later this year.

“Since launching the first MES unit last year, we have witnessed the MES units’ potential in action—from powering the DOE Emergency Operations Center during a blackout to enabling real-time government services in typhoon-hit areas of Cagayan,” Ambassador Carlson added. “These mobile systems are flexible and are proven to provide reliable power to local communities across the Philippines.”