7.1 Students’ mini-grid project brings new sustainable technologies to the Philippines

Eight EIT InnoEnergy Master School students announced in April 2022 that they have taken on a challenging mini-grid project in the Philippines for their integrated Project of the Year (iPoY). The “Yuzu Project” team is collaborating with Okra Solar, AEIC, and Element Renewables ILAW to design and implement a mini-grid upgrade that introduces new sustainable technologies into the energy mix.

In 2018, Okra Solar and partners installed clean electricity (solar PV) in the small fishing village of San Isidro for the first time. However, cloudy days bring grid blackouts –so there’s a real need to hybridise the grid by adding a secondary source of sustainable electricity. Based on the weather conditions, the team chose wind turbines.

This project isn’t about one minigrid or one remote location in need of reliable electricity. The best way to support the deployment of mini-grids in developing regions is to create open-source documentation, where everyone can access the project details, progress, and milestones – and learn from the team’s journey.

The team is now preparing the next steps of procuring the wind turbines, completing an on-site visit and creating workshops for the local community. Whether in the Philippines or elsewhere, the team hopes that each student can take their learned knowledge from the EIT InnoEnergy Master School programme onwards to contribute to the energy transition so that they can benefit as many people as possible worldwide.

The best way to support the deployment of minigrids in developing regions is to create open-source documentation, where everyone can access the project details, progress, and milestones – and learn from our journey.