Solar Power Makes Sense Here

Above is a small solar panel of the type that I see everywhere here. We have several that power motion sensor lights around the property. A few others power fans. Notice the tangle of electrical sketchy electrical wires on the right side. As people can afford it, they will transistion to solar.

I've been noting the changes that have taken place here since our last visit in 2018. In addition to what seems like much new construction of roads, buildings and individual homes, there is the explosion in the use of small scale solar. 

In the Philippines, electricity costs just as much as it does in the U.S. for people with incomes that are just a fraction. It is also very unreliable, often going off without notice and depends on the rats nest of dangerous wiring that is common in the developing world. Just as we keep barrels of water in the bathroom for the regular water outages, power outages can come at any time, so small panels for lights and fans make sure we have the basics. If we lived here more than we do, it would make sense to install a roof wide solar system. 

Above are several of the small solar panels employed everywhere here. When we were last here In 2018 there was very little solar, but people are putting it to use because it works and never goes down.

The sign says basically; "don't throw your trash on the roof" in Ilocano next to a couple of the little panels that are everywhere here. Trash is a problem in a city without trash collection. The city is supposed to have trash collection, but here in the Philippines, one of the most dangerous countries for anyone criticizing the government, people say nothing and burn their trash. The daily smell of burning plastic on the wind is good for nobody's health, but being killed for raising your voice is worse.

 Solar literally puts the power in the hands of the people. Though I've noticed very little large scale solar on buildings or in fields, even the poorest houses have the little book sized panels sitting on their roofs to run fans, lights and charge phones.

I've seen a few solar projects, a handful of houses and one of the local markets has gone solar, but there is potential for much more. Large scale solar has the potential to power this country at much lower cost Electricity that costs more than in the U.S. and is unreliable is holding people in this country back.  

 

Panels make sense since there is no electric bill and the sun always shines here. The small panels are also very resilient to the earthquakes and storms that plague this region and take down traditional power. The one large scale project that is hard to miss in the region are the solar street lights added to communities that were once dark. I remember the pitch dark streets where a child or a dog would pop up out of nowhere in front of the car. With no electric bill for the community and costly wire to run, dark streets now have light. Solar is revolutionizing and democratizing power here in even the poorest and most isolated places, we in the rich world need to take note and follow their lead. It will be interesting to see where countries like the Philippines take solar to in the coming years.