Four public hospitals in Lanao del Sur are set to receive rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage under a Department of Energy (DOE)-backed program aimed at improving power reliability for critical healthcare services, particularly during outages and emergencies.

The installations, to be implemented under the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Access to Climate Security and Health Services (RE3ACHS) Project, will cover a combined 170 kilowatt-peak (kWp) of solar PV capacity with battery storage across facilities in Tamparan, Marawi City, Wao, and Malabang. The project is being led by the DOE through its Mindanao Field Office, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao – Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (BARMM-MENRE), and the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur, with support from the Government of Japan.

Under the plan, Tamparan Provincial Hospital will be equipped with a 40-kWp solar PV system paired with 140 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of battery storage. The Provincial Infirmary in Marawi City will receive 30 kWp of solar PV with 60 kWh of storage, while Wao District Hospital and Dr. Serapio B. Montañer Jr. Al-Haj Memorial Hospital in Malabang will each be fitted with 50-kWp systems and 100-kWh batteries.

DOE said the systems are expected to reduce hospitals’ reliance on diesel generator sets, helping stabilize operations and lower energy costs for essential functions such as lighting, cooling and ventilation, refrigeration for medicines and vaccines, diagnostics, and other life-saving equipment.

“Hospitals require electricity round the clock to run cooling systems, lighting, and critical medical equipment,” DOE Undersecretary Mario C. Marasigan said in an official statement. “By integrating solar PV systems with battery storage, we can reduce operating costs, strengthen energy security, and help ensure continuous power when it matters most.”

The initiative follows a directive from Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin for the DOE Mindanao Field Office to assist government entities across the region in deploying rooftop solar PV and other renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. Through RE3ACHS, participating facilities are expected to post measurable gains in energy performance and sustainability, reinforcing Mindanao’s push for renewable energy integration and climate-resilient development.

The solar PV installations for the four hospitals are valued at about PHP 33 million. RE3ACHS forms part of the Japan Supplementary Budget (JSB) 2024 Climate Promise Global Initiative, supported by a USD 1.3-million grant from the Government of Japan.

Based on a feasibility study, the project is projected to avoid an estimated 8.67 kilotons of carbon dioxide equivalent (ktCO2e) in greenhouse gas emissions over a 20-year system lifetime. The DOE said the systems are targeted to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2026.

What does this mean for the broader rollout of solar-plus-storage in critical facilities, especially in off-grid and vulnerable areas? Share your views on how similar models could be scaled across the Philippine energy sector.

Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join our Viber community for more updates.