The Romblon Blueprint: How a High Renewable Energy Mix Works for Island Grids
Driving the use of more renewable energy (RE), GIZ Philippines collaborated with Preferred Energy, Inc. to conduct a comprehensive field assessment of the service areas of the of the Romblon Electric Cooperative (ROMELCO), April 20 to 24. The visit documented the impacts and challenges of Romblon’s widespread RE installations, which is one of few in the country with an exceptionally high share of RE in its power mix.
Under the GIZ-implemented project “Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy for Southeast Asia (CASE),” supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the goal is to publish a Renewable Energy Guidebook for small island and isolated grids (SIIGs) that serves as a concrete, scalable blueprint to show that RE is viable for long-term energy security and sustainability.
Led by ROMELCO General Manager Engr. Rene Fajilagutan, the cooperative’s overarching vision is to generate 90% of its power from renewable sources, allowing it to dramatically reduce generation costs, graduate from the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UCME) subsidy, and secure long-term viability for its consumers. Despite navigating stringent regulatory hurdles and lengthy approval processes, the cooperative has proved that transitioning from fossil fuels to green energy is both technically robust and economically highly sound.
A prime showcase of this shared vision is the Cobrador Island Solar PV Hybrid System. Previously limited to just 6 hours of daily electricity via a diesel generator, the island now enjoys continuous power, with a price 50% cheaper than the diesel-generated rates prior to the project. To meet increasing energy demand, the cooperative plans further expansion within the year, incorporating a 75-kW solar array and adding a 180–200 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery storage system.
In Sibuyan Island, the 16-year-old Cantingas Mini-Hydro Power Plant (MHPP) has been expanded and now provides 1,350 kW of clean power, which is about 90% to 95% of the island’s energy requirements during the wet season. The plant has fully recovered its capitalization costs, and the capital recovery fee is now strategically earmarked to fund future RE projects.
For Romblon Island, the cooperative established grid-tied solar rooftop projects on covered courts of Barangays Macalas, Mapula, Lunas and Ilaura, with a capacity of 50kW each or a total installed capacity of 200 kW. ROMELCO also supervises three 300kW wind turbines located in Barangay Bagacay, Lonos and Agnay, and an 18-kW biomass gasifier power plant in Barangay Alad. Through ROMELCO’s operational model, the upcoming Guidebook aims to inspire electric cooperatives nationwide to confidently adopt more renewables, accelerating the country's collective shift toward cleaner, secure and affordable energy for all.
