Energy/Water

Island Light and Water (“ILAW”)
Energy Development Corporation.
What do we do?

We provide clean, renewable energy to deliver electricity and water services to communities and private customers in remote and unelectrified locations.  In the Philippines, an estimated 15 million people live without reliable access to electricity. We are committed to providing reliable electricity to thousands of households in off-grid areas within the Philippines by building microgrids. Our microgrid projects are secured by a working partnership with electric cooperatives.

Energy Development Our Significant Accomplishments

ILAW/InfraCo (IAD) Philippines Smart Solar Network Program:

  • Winner of the Asia Power Smart Grid Project of the Year – Philippines Category Award in the Asian Power Awards 2020
  • Shortlisted for the Energy Institute’s Access to Energy Award
  • We established the first successful microgrids in the Philippines and secured the first award of national electrification subsidy to accelerate load growth.
  • We installed the first hybrid microgrids
  • We formed the first major public-private partnership with 40+ public utilities, i.e., the Association of Independent Electrical Cooperatives (“AIEC”).
  • We achieved international recognition from the European Union in the form of major EU development grants.
  • Committed Energy Project Financing Facility from InfraCo Asia, part of the Private Infrastructure Advisory Group, a development investor funded by the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Germany and the IFC.
  • Our Energy division began generating revenue from microgrid projects in 2019

Electrification Status of Household Energization (Source: DOE)

Rural electrification in the Philippines has always been very difficult due to the country being archipelagic with over 7,000 islands. Communities have a difficult time accessing 24/7 power without the ability to connect to a national grid. This results in a compromised quality of life for millions. The table shows the electrification status in the Philippines:

Unserved (No electricity) 2.4M 11.5M
Underserved (Less than 24/7 electricity) 0.6M 2.9M
Total 3.0M 14.4M
  • Source: DOE 2018

Off-Grid Energy What is off-grid?

The areas NOT connected to the “high voltage backbone system of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities”
—RA 9136 Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) Sec.4 (z)

NPC: National Power Corporation

NPP: New Power Provider

SPUG: Small Power Utilities Group

QTP: Qualified Third Parties

NGCP: National Grid Corporation of the Philippines

EC: Electric Cooperative

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Energy Development Partnership With Electric Cooperatives

“A cooperative is hereby vested with all power necessary or convenient for the accomplishment of its corporate purpose… Such power shall include… To acquire, own, operate and maintain generating facilities within its franchise area…”
• R.A. 10531, Chapter III, Section 9 NEA Reform Act of 2013
Non-stock, non-profit membership corporations created by Philippine law that are granted the authority for power generation and distribution to their consumer-members within a specific jurisdiction.
Electric cooperatives are community-focused and function to serve their members. 

There are 121 electric cooperatives spread throughout the Philippine archipelago that provide electricity to more than 56 million people in rural villages, towns and islands. 

ILAW has formed an alliance with the Association of Isolated Electric Cooperatives (AIEC), an organization of 40 electric cooperatives, to jointly undertake off-grid electrification projects throughout the Philippines. 

- AIEC (Association of Isolated Electric Cooperatives) is an association of 40+ electric cooperatives. 

- AIEC MGEC (Missionary Green Energy Corporation) is an SEC-registered company. It is owned by the AIEC Electric Cooperatives and Rural Electrification Energy Corp. (REEC)

- ILAW Partnered with the Electric Cooperatives through an incorporated joint venture agreement with AIEC MGEC. The relationship/JV came about years of relationship building by ILAW's management/core team in their years/decades of off-grid electrification in the Philippines and SE Asia.

Working in partnership with the electrical cooperatives facilitates accelerated project approvals and permitting at the local, regional and national level.  It enables an organization with nationwide reach while maintaining the culture of a small, local partner - with modest cost structures to match.

Most importantly, this partnership aligns the interests and needs of all stakeholders involved in implementing an ILAW microgrid: from the remotest fishing community household owner who needs to light just one lightbulb and a fan to do his work; to the Filipino and international partners who seek the assurance that the partnership’s experience and institutional stability provide. 

The partnership between ILAW and the local electric cooperatives bridges two worlds into one unified objective: access to affordable, sustainable, and local owned energy and water services.  

Water Supply Project Our Water Business:

The Philippines Smart Rural Water Supply Project is a nationwide program to bring water, both potable and irrigation, to rural communities in the Philippines currently lacking sustainable access to either.

The Project expressly links the provision of electricity with the provision of water by piggy-backing on the existing backbone of Element/ILAW’s 135-site electrical microgrid pipeline.

The Project integrates community water supply systems into the power generation and distribution system design of Element/ILAW’s Smart solar hybrid microgrids.  

power-water-system

Water Supply Project Our Significant Accomplishments

  • Three-Project Financial Grant from Private Infrastructure Investment Group (Projects under construction)
  • Complete developed pipeline for rapid build-out over 3-year horizon
  • Financial, engineering, and operational templates completed
  • Provisional Water Project Financing Facility from Climate Fund Managers, a development consortium of FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, and Sanlam, the largest insurance company in Africa

Our Projects Microgrids

A microgrid is a small-scale power grid that can operate independently or with other small power grids.

In remote islands and rural areas in the Philippines that have limited or no electricity. 

The technology used is a hybrid renewable system that is economically viable. 

Energy/Water Microgrid Projects in the Philippines

Confirmed Project Timeline: 22 additional Microgrids for implementation in 2020; 87 additional Microgrids for implementation in 2021-2022 

Microgrid Projects in the Philippines EU Grant SMILE Project

Project Description:

SolaBNB Microhotel & Island Livelihood Energizer Platform (SMILE)

Objective: Integrating hybrid renewable electric systems with sustainable tourism infrastructure and livelihood programs

Key Components: Hybrid Renewable Energy Plant Resort, Livelihood Modules, and community training

Partners: World Wildlife Fund (WWF), SIARLECO, DIELCO, LGU, and the University of the Philippines

Location:

SMILE-proj-map

Halian, Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte

Anajawan, General Luna, Surigao del Norte

Cab-Ilan, Dinagat, Dinagat Islands

Kanihaan, Libjo, Dinagat Islands

Current State
of Electrification:

Halian:
4 hours of electricity with diesel gensets

Anajawan:
Unserved and people rely on their own generators

Cab-ilan:
4 hours of electricity with diesel gensets

Kanihaan:
4 hours of electricity with diesel gensets

The SMILE Project will provide 24/7 electricity for 570 households in the 4 barangays with hybrid renewable energy systems.

Microgrid Projects in the Philippines EU Union Grant RETS Project

Project Description:

Renewable Energy Technology for Seaweed Value

Objective: Electricity esp. to support seaweed industry, water supply, community services

Key Components: Hybrid RE Plant, Livelihood Modules, community training

Partners: United Nations, Mindanao Development Authority, TAWELCO

Location:

RETS-proj-map

Sitangkai, Tawi- Tawi

East Sibutu, Tawi- Tawi

Current State
of Electrification:

Sitangkai:
20-22 hours of electricity with diesel gensets

East Sibutu:
24/7 electricity with diesel gensets

The RETS Project will provide 24/7 electricity for 1,911 households with hybrid renewable energy systems.

Microgrid Projects in the Philippines San Isidro

Project Description:

Solar Home Systems:
Electrification through DC systems and providing of DC appliances to the community

Partner:
Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BISELCO)

Locations:
Busuanga, Philippines
Palawan, Philippines

Location:

San-Isidro--proj-map

Busuanga, Philippines

Palawan, Philippines

Microgrid Projects in the Philippines Quezelco II

Project Description:

Solar PV, Battery, and Diesel

Generation and Distribution System

We aim to immediately provide two unelectrified communities with 24/7 reliable electricity via the construction of hybrid power plants. We aim to replicate the project in other nearby underserved or unelectrified areas.

Partner:
Quezon Electric Cooperative (QUEZELCO II)

Locations:
Katakian Grande Island, Philippines
Kilogan, Quezon, Philippines

Location:

QuezelcoII-proj-map

Katakian

Kilogan

Project Accomplishments Successful Pioneer Projects

Industrial Customers

ILAW’s solutions range from solar and energy storage installations to financing options for commercial and industrial customers looking for clean and economical sources of power.

Rio Tuba (Palawan Province, Philippines)

  • Biomass Biogasification System: Hybrid Microgrid
  • Capacity: 437-1620 kW

Malapascua (Cebu Province, Philippines)

  • Capacity: 1,050kW

 

Location:

success-projects

Rio Tuba

Malapascua

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