SolarCity: High Powered Solar Panels in Dumaguete

Just a week ago, a super typhoon hit the Philippines.  Though its landfall happened in another island,  Dumaguete City where Foundation University is located was not spared of its wrath.  Trees fell, houses toppled, water flooded areas and days went by without electricity.  While classes were suspended to protect the children, the university operations was able to continue with the use of the solar power generated by whatever energy was stored from the 45% installed solar panels.

Having almost 50% of the whole university utilizing the solar power that was stored before the typhoon hit became a lifeline most especially in the operation of communication facilities in preparation for the communities nearby to have access while monitoring the rising water of the river beside the university location.

Indeed, solar energy has become a very reliable source of power during times of emergency such as a super typhoon in our midst as a lifeline for disaster response not only for the university but to the community that it serves.

The Philippines, Dumaguete City included has suffered intense heat from March - May 2024.  It was called the El Niño phenomenon as stated in the last report.  While the  heat wave brought discomfort to humans at an average temperature of 40 degrees, Foundation University enjoyed the full power of the sun as a source for solar energy which saved enough power to use for electricity and in turn brought about much savings to the electricity bill.

Currently, while the Philippines is still dealing with the effects of El Niño which brough about several catastrophies, drought as a major calamity,  an issuance of a La Niña watch was issued by the Philippine Atmospheric,  Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration because of a 55% chance of it developing in the next six months starting June of 2024.

La Niña “is characterized by unusually cooler than average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.” It triggers above-normal rainfall in the Philippines.

Since the university has 45% of solar panels installed on the rooftop of its campus buildings, it can also only cover as much as its percentage.  The university plans to add more panels and is hopeful to achieve a 100% solar powered campus.