A renewable energy (RE) research and development laboratory focusing particularly on waste-to-energy technologies was inaugurated last September 2024 in Cagayan de Oro.
A collaboration between the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan (XU), the Green Biohydrogen to Energy (Green BioH2E) Research and Development Laboratory will explore using low-value organic waste from agriculture and manufacturing industries, plus municipal wastewater, to produce hydrogen fuel for power and heat generation.
“This technology, if viable, can lower utility rates and production costs, making local goods more affordable,” Project Leader Dr. Shierlyn Paclijan shared with the Philippines News Agency (PNA).
(Also read: DOE Mindanao in need of more energy sources for energy security)
“I am thrilled about the potential of this facility to significantly advance our waste-to-energy research,” said Dr. Paclijan. “This is a valuable resource for our faculty, students, and researchers across Northern Mindanao.”
Transforming waste to power a greener future
Should GreenBioH2E successfully demonstrate the viability of hydrogen-to-energy technologies, the research and development (R&D) laboratory’s pilot projects will lay the foundation for industry and government adoption, addressing the challenges in waste management and sustainability that local governments and industries face in Northern Mindanao.
Dr. Hercules Cascon, Dean of Xavier University’s College of Engineering (XU-COE), shared that the laboratory will be the yardstick for the region’s efforts in renewable energy, evolving from “small-scale concepts to full-scale industrial applications.”
Funded by DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), the GreenBioH2E initiative is part of Mindanao’s broader movement towards a fifty percent renewable energy mix by 2030, a policy goal set by the Mindanao Renewable Energy Acceleration and Coordination Hub or Mindanao REACH.
At present, fossil fuels provide Mindanao with 69% of its energy needs, with coal being the primary source.
(Also read: Nearly 3,000 MW of renewable energy projects in the pipeline for Mindanao)
“As we work together to become a nexus of innovation in the Philippines, we will continue our endeavor to provide support, not only to groundbreaking R&D and introducing innovation but also to make an impact,” DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico Paringit said.
Sources:
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1234187
