ADDU Create - Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technologies

The Mindanao Renewable Energy R&D Center (MREC)—a collaborative program for research, development, and innovation in renewable energy, established as a Niche R&D Center in the Region (NICER) of the Department of Science and Technology and hosted by Ateneo de Davao University—has assisted the Province of Surigao del Sur in institutionalizing renewable energy and energy efficiency through the development of a provincial ordinance. This ordinance provides the policy framework for advancing sustainable energy programs, with future implementation to be supported by the Provincial Green Fund.

Beyond policy development, MREC has further capacitated the Province through technical assistance in energy profiling, electricity demand analysis and forecasting, local energy efficiency and conservation planning, and performance assessment of the provincial energy system. These efforts have been undertaken in close collaboration with the electric cooperatives, the Department of Energy, and other key stakeholders, ensuring that planning and implementation are grounded in robust data and coordinated institutional action.

The resulting Sustainable Energy Code serves as a foundational instrument to guide and strengthen the Provincial Energy Development Plan, anchored on the following purposes:

1. To achieve energy security, system resilience, and energy affordability;
2. To accelerate the deployment of renewable energy (RE) and the adoption of energy efficiency (EE) measures; and
3. To enable a climate-resilient, just, circular, and investment-ready energy transition.

The Energy Code is structured around the following core pillars:
1. Energy governance and integrated planning;
2. Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and the circular economy;
3. Power distribution, microgrids, and energy resilience;
4. Climate action, disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), and the just energy transition; and
5. Investment promotion, incentives, and sustainable energy financing.

Moving forward, the next phase of collaboration will focus on the conduct of a comprehensive renewable energy resource assessment for the Province, alongside the development of a coherent package of policy and institutional strengthening measures, investment planning frameworks, and monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure effective implementation and long-term impact of the Sustainable Energy Code.

𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗥𝗘 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱!

Mark your calendars and join us for the 8th Renewable Energy Congress & Exhibit at the Iloilo Convention Center, Iloilo City, Philippines.

Register now at https://tinyurl.com/RECongress2025

The academe, through the Mindanao Renewable Energy R&D Center (MREC), presented its initiatives to accelerate renewable energy integration in Mindanao during the 3rd Mindanao Clean Energy Forum (MCEF) held on November 19–20, 2025 in Butuan City. These initiatives directly support Mindanao’s ambition to achieve a 50% renewable energy share in the electricity grid by 2030, in line with the forum’s overarching theme. Dr. Nelson Enano, the Center Manager of MREC, introduced the center's collaborative R&D framework, highlighting how research institutions across Mindanao coordinate their efforts to address region-specific energy challenges, considering each area’s distinct resource potential and contextual factors. This collaborative approach helps align the efforts of different regions toward Mindanao’s broader energy goals.

Dr. Enano highlighted MREC’s research on solar photovoltaic microgrid systems, ocean renewable energy, and concentrated solar power—emerging technologies with strong potential for deployment in remote hinterlands and small island and coastal communities providing social and economic impacts. He also emphasized MREC’s work on tracking the implementation of mechanisms under the Renewable Energy Act in Mindanao and assisting local government units in formulating sustainable energy development plans.

A key highlight of his presentation was the DOST-funded solar PV microgrid project in the Mandaya community of Manurigao, Davao de Oro. As one of the country's pioneering microgrid initiatives, the project illustrates both the challenges and opportunities of providing electricity to off-grid communities and contributes significantly to the national push for total electrification. Dr. Enano underscored the critical role of microgrids in improving energy access, grid reliability, and environmental performance of off-grid energy systems. He also pointed out the existing investment gaps for microgrid development and discussed how mechanisms such as the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification could be tapped to address these gaps.

Overall, MREC’s presentation during the 3rd MCEF highlighted the indispensable role of academic R&D as a trailblazer—advancing frontier technologies even when the enabling environment, including economic viability, technological readiness, institutional capacity, and consumer awareness, is still emerging.

3rd Mindanao Clean Energy Forum (MCEF) 2025

Theme: “RACE to 50:50: Accelerating Mindanao’s Energy Transition”
Date: November 19–20, 2025
Venue: Butuan City

🌍 Join Us at the 3rd Mindanao Clean Energy Forum (MCEF) 2025

Theme: “RACE to 50:50: Accelerating Mindanao’s Energy Transition” Date: November 19–20, 2025
Venue: Butuan City

The Mindanao Clean Energy Forum (MCEF) 2025 will convene leaders and innovators to chart the path toward a cleaner, more sustainable, and resilient energy future for Mindanao.

This year’s Forum will gather:

-Government leaders and policymakers

-Energy experts and investors

-Financing institutions

-Local government units

-The academe

-Private sector representatives

-Civil society organizations

Together, these stakeholders will exchange insights, align strategies, and explore opportunities that accelerate Mindanao’s transition to renewable energy and sustainable development.

Importantly, the MCEF 2025 is being held as part of the 18th Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week (November 19–25, 2025), underscoring its role in advancing national awareness and collective action on climate resilience.

The MCEF is organized by the Mindanao Renewable Energy Acceleration and Coordination Hub (MinREACH)—a consortium of the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), MinDA, and Ateneo de Davao University—in collaboration with WWF, the City of Butuan, ICSC, and CREAM.

📌 Register here: https://forms.gle/ksTBGEc82cYodJj77

The Mindanao Renewable Energy R&D Center (MREC) provided a critical assessment of the unsolicited proposal submitted to the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Center for the rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of the 1,000-MW Agus–Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex, the backbone of Mindanao power grid, in terms of technical viability, economic feasibility, environmental implications, and social impacts. Aside from rehabilitation, the proposal also included the development of the Energy Storage Project (ESP) integrated with solar load centers, the Hybrid Economic Dispatch (HED), the Circular Energy for Hydro Plant (CEHP), and the mass-based ownership model for the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) intended to operate and manage the project.

This Just Energy Transition (JET) Dialogue, attended by stakeholders from various sectors, was organized by the Mindanao Renewable Energy Acceleration and coordination Hub (MinREACH), a platform for stakeholders convergence to tackle Mindanao's transition towards greater integration of renewable energy. Its convenors are the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU).

Just Energy Transition Dialogue : Business, Consumers back unsolicited proposal to rehab Agus-Pulangi Hydro Complex - Metro Cagayan de Oro DAVAO CITY/ Nov. 16, 2025 – Consumer groups and businesses in the Davao Region have expressed support for the unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate, operate, and maintain the 1,000-megawatt Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex (APHC). The Greenergy Renewables Group Inc. (GRGI) submitted the unsolicit...

Dr. Nelson Enano delivered a talk on the renewable energy initiatives of the Mindanao Renewable Energy R&D Center (MREC), highlighting potential strategies to address Mindanao’s energy challenges, at De La Salle University–Manila. The event, entitled “SEAL the Future: National Convening on Intergenerational Justice and Climate Change,” was organized by the Reboot Philippines Renewable Energy Transition Institute and attended by young people from various universities across the country. Three student leaders from Ateneo de Davao University participated in the event.

Energy is truly where disciplines meet — and often, where they merge.

This afternoon, the ADDU-CREATE/MREC team met with Dr. Christina Alfonso, an energy economist from the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA), to explore a potential research collaboration.

The discussion, joined by engineers Dr. Renyl Barroca, Dr. Jenith Banluta, Dr. Andrew Espera, and Dr. Nelson Enano, focused on a proposed study that will identify the key variables and data influencing renewable energy (RE) investments in Mindanao. Using time series econometric methods, the study aims to reveal policy gaps and opportunities to accelerate RE adoption across the island.

Dr. Mark Anthony Rotor, a researcher at ADDU-CREATE, was invited by the Center for Empowerment, Innovation, and Training on Renewable Energy (CentRE) to deliver a lecture on Ocean Renewable Energy for its RE Academy. In his talk, he emphasized the vast potential of the technology to provide clean and reliable power for the Philippines, particularly given the country’s archipelagic formation, making it especially valuable for island communities. He also noted that while the technology is still at varying stages of technological readiness, ongoing advancements and pilot projects are steadily bringing it closer to wider adoption.

Dr. Renyl Barroca, Dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture at Ateneo de Davao University and ADDU-CREATE researcher, delivered a lecture on Solar Energy for the RE Academy of the Center for Empowerment, Innovation, and Training on Renewable Energy (CentRE). The RE Academy equips participants with a solid grounding in energy fundamentals, power systems, and renewable energy technologies to address the urgent challenge of climate change.

ADDU-CREATE, a Board Member of CentRE since its inception, has actively guided its development. CentRE is a national organization on renewable energy that brings together diverse expertise from civil society organizations, private industry, electric cooperatives, academic institutions, and advocates working in energy, climate, environment, and good governance. It envisions itself as a hub for knowledge sharing, social innovation, policy research, advocacy, and community empowerment on renewable energy.

Engr. Jason Occidental participated in the Sustainability and Renewable Energy Forum in Sarawak, Malaysia last September 3-4, 2025. The forum’s theme, "Regional Net Zero and Sustainable Communities, Renewable Energy Development and Interconnections," focused on regional net-zero initiatives as well as green energy development and solutions. Engr Occidental was quoted during the discussion in which he shared the challenges of deploying renewable energy in Mindanao:

“It’s not just about whether the technology works, it’s about navigating multiple layers of government, tribal leaders and community stakeholders. That’s why we need a pentahelix model- academia, government, the private sector, media and civil society, working together to co-create solutions,” he said.

The session concluded emphasizing that sustainability must not be reduced to renewable energy technology and carbon targets alone, but must also address fairness, equity and empowerment of vulnerable communities.

Ateneo de Davao University’s School of Engineering and Architecture (ADDU-SEA) was recognized with the Inclusive Innovation Award during DOST XI’s Renewergy Microgridterprises 2025 held on August 5, 2025 in Tagum City. The award recognizes its contribution on pursuing Science and Technology Partnerships for Empowered and Inclusive Community Energy Development in Davao Region. The award was received by Dr Renyl Barroca, Dean of ADDU-SEA, and Dr Nelson Enano, Director of ADDU’s Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technologies (ADDU-CREATE).