Tag: solar panels philippines

What are the improvised uses of solar panels?

1. Device battery charging
2. Water heating (and cooling)
3. All around ventilation
4. Outdoor lighting

With the decrease in solar panel prices in the Philippines and all over the world, people can now make use of solar energy in every way imaginable; aside from using it as an alternative to the traditional utility grid of electricity, that is. Going green with solar energy has provided the world of new ways to power up appliances, home utility tools, and even tech accessories, further saving utility grid provided electricity.

In this article, we’ll show you 4 extraordinary uses of solar panels and solar energy; all of which you can try at home!

 

Battery Charging

Have you ever thought of using solar energy in charging your batteries? Well, we think it’s time to do so. Sunlight is always present, and not using it even for small applications can be a waste. Thankfully, there are companies that sell solar-powered device chargers helping innovate the way people charge their devices’ batteries. Though, if you have the right materials, you can also opt to create your own device solar charger! Building one can help you better your devices especially when you’re doing outdoor activities such as traveling and camping.

 

Water Heating

Swimming pools are better used when it’s not too cold to dip in. This very problem can be solved through adding a solar blanket in the pool to warm up your water, or perhaps a solar heating system to help you better get the job done. What the solar heating system does is it uses the light collected from the sunlight and converts it to heat. The solar panels will be mounted on your roof to collect the heat, and from there, the heat will be passed onto the pool. Thus, increasing the pool’s water temperature. Conversely, this technology can also be used in cooling pool water especially during hot seasons.

 

Ventilation

Despite the widespread use of air conditioning units, ventilation fans are still very common. This goes most especially in the sala, dining room, kitchen, and many other areas where unwanted air are most existent and the need to circulate the air in return for a cleaner one is vital. More than anything, it helps remove foul odor at home. However, it cannot be denied that the use of both air conditioners and fans can rather amount to particular returns on your utility bills. The practical alternative is using solar-powered fans that you can either buy or build yourself. 

 

Lighting

When you come home at night, you definitely prefer seeing light both inside and outside of your home. This does not only make your home look visible, rather it also helps in avoiding unwanted guests at night. With solar lighting, you can make your home as well-lit as possible without worrying about your utility bills. The solar panels can help charge the batteries during daytime and make use of it during nighttime. You can even design your own solar-lit landscape to make your home look better at night.

 

Key Takeaway

Literally, these extraordinary uses of solar panels are lit. Solar panels do not only help save you from expensive utility charges and minimize the pressure on utility grids, but it also allows you to customize your own energy resource. The use of solar energy in the Philippines is definitely a huge advantage!

What are the usual mistakes homeowners make when going solar?

1. They opt for a solar lease and power purchase agreement that creates a huge financial impact despite the free installation.
2. They install solar systems on an old roof.
3. They usually do not seek information about solar efficiency and tend to spend more.

 

Success stories of installing solar systems in the Philippines has been making rounds and has also turned the use of solar panels as an alternative to utility grids into a trend amongst residential areas. In turn, a lot of people have opted to using this renewable energy to their advantage, especially with the decrease in its pricing.

Hold your horses though. Going solar is great in many many ways, but you need to makes sure you don’t make these common mistakes. 

 

Mistake No. 1: Opting for a solar lease and power purchase agreement

Choosing to sign a solar lease and power purchase agreement (PPA) is basically just renting a solar system from a solar leasing company. While this may allow you to freely install a solar system at home without shelling out to purchase the equipment, some agreements tend to last for 20 years. Solar leasing companies often gain bad reputation as they tend to make things difficult with home sales especially when potential buyers do not approve of the agreement.

Mistake No. 2: Installing the solar system on an old roof

This is a common mistake and is often among the costly ones: installing a solar system when your roof is already near its peak of replacement. Always keep in mind that the solar system is installed on the roof so the panels have easy access to direct sunlight. However, you should also note the durability of the roof; in short, make sure that the roof doesn’t need any other work done at the time of solar system installation.  Solar systems are generally designed to last for around 25 to 30 years, hence it could be wiser to proceed with the roof work first if any are needed before installing the solar system. 

Mistake No. 3: Not doing your homework about solar efficiency

Understanding how solar efficiency works isn’t rocket science, hence it is comprehensible for homeowners. The usual mindset of a potential solar owner would be to aim for an incredibly high-efficiency panel, because, well, it’s highly efficient. For homeowners, this option could be over-the-top and costly. This is where understanding your home’s energy requirement becomes significant.

An efficient solar system can be achieved with the right orientation of your panels, the approximate available hours of sunlight used for solar collection, the angle, and even the amount of ground or roof space available to you.

 

Quick Tip: The solar-south orientation is the most efficient way to get desirable results when it comes to collecting sunlight as it allows the most coverage during the available hours of the sun.

 

Key Takeaway

With these in mind, it should be easier for you to make smart decisions and successfully install the solar system while avoiding extra expenses that could make the installation costlier than they should be. The most expensive options don’t necessarily mean that it’s the best for your use. You can always achieve high-efficiency panels with the right orientation, angle, and placement of your solar panels.

Do solar panels work during the rain?

1. Yes, but they are much less effective.
2. There is a new all-weather solar panel being developed by Chinese scientists.
3. This uses electron-enriched graphene to bond with the positive ions of rain to produce electricity.
4. The technology still isn’t perfect but it may be available soon.

 

In terms of the use of renewable energy locally, the big question is this: is it worth getting a solar panel in the Philippines? The price may be worth the investment, but how effective can it be in a country with long rainy seasons? After all, how can we expect them to create energy with sunlight when clouds are blocking the sun? Well, that could change very soon because there are new types of solar panels in development that are designed to get energy from raindrops as well!

 

Chinese Design

This innovation in renewable energy technology is in development thanks to Chinese scientists. They have developed a way to harness the energy of rain water and integrated it into a solar panels. In this new design, they used a thin layer of graphene to coat the bottom side of the solar cell. It’s this graphene that can interact with the positively charged ions that can be found in rain drops. So when the rain pours, it will be a simple matter of flipping over the panel to get renewable energy even during the rainy season.

 

How Graphene Turns Rain Water into Energy

Since rain water is full of dissolved salts, it’s also full of positive and negative ions. On the other hand, the graphene is electron-enriched. So when raindrops hit the graphene, a pseudo-capacitor is created when the water clings on. A dual layer is then formed with this pseudo-capacitor and the graphene electrons. With these two layers, electric currents are formed when the positive ions in the rain – ammonium, calcium and sodium – initiate electric currents with the graphene. The energy formed between these two layers is strong enough to generate electricity. With just a mere atom-thick layer of graphene, hundreds of millivolts of energy can be created. Imagine what it would be like with a thicker layer?

 

Efficiency with the Sun

This comes with a dye-sensitive solar cell. These are thin photovoltaic (PV) cells that use organic dye to absorb sunlight and produce electrons. So it can convert solar energy. At the same, it makes it able to absorb the electric currents created by the rain and graphene.

This same solar cell can be 6.53% efficient in creating energy from simulated sunlight as well.

 

Still in Development

Although it is still much less efficient than most standard solar panels, the technology can become an all-in-one solution for renewable energy by being able to provide it during any sort of weather. It is certainly a viable option for countries rainy countries, such as the UK and the Philippines. The price of the solar panel will definitely be worth it when households shave off a lot of expenses from their electricity bill during the rainy months. For now, we have net metering to rely on in times when the sun doesn’t shine.

 

How did Germany become the world leader in renewable energy?

1. In 1991, their government established the Renewable Energy Sources Act. This required the power companies to allow renewable energy companies to connect to the main national grid.
2. The power/utility companies were even required to pay the renewable energy companies for their power.
3. This guaranteed a market for renewable energy, which was made it an attractive business to make a long-term investment in.
4. With the support these investors and the government, the renewable energy business flourished in Germany.
5. By April 30, 2016, 85% of all the power consumed in Germany was from renewable energy.
6. It is said that this figure will be a normal everyday occurrence by 2030

 

What inspires many individual and groups to invest in solar systems in the Philippines is the way Germany uses renewable energy. Despite not having a climate like ours, the Germans were able to find a way to harness the energy of the sun in an efficient way. In fact, 85% of their overall power comes from renewable energy sources such as solar panels. Read on to see how they achieved this amazing feat.

 

Public and Political Support

Germany doesn’t really get much sunlight. In a way, this means it doesn’t really doesn’t make sense that they have become the world’s leader in solar energy. But the big difference between them and other countries is social and political support on the use of solar systems. Because of this, the necessary regulations to make use of such systems passed early on. In fact, they started back in 1991 with Renewable Energy Sources Act. This law required utility companies to allow renewable energy companies to operate along with the national grid and to pay for their power. This helped to offset the high cost of such power production.

Doing this also guaranteed that there will be a market for renewable energy. Thus, investing long-term in the business and service was extremely attractive. With the support of these investors, the solar companies became financially stable to operate at will.

In short, this success in nationwide solar energy production is not because Germany found an ingenious way to harness the sun, but because they had the means and support to do full production.

 

Breaking Solar Records

Back in 2014, Germany achieved a national record by satisfying 50% of their power needs with solar power; 23.1 gigawatts to be exact. At this time, this figure was also half of the entire world’s production of solar energy at the time. Wow!

Then in 2015, most of the electricity demand in Germany was satisfied with renewable energy. It’s not hard to see why when it was reported that both wind and solar sources alone of energy generated 40.65GW of power. During this same year, 4.85 GW of power was produced from biomass and 2.4 GW from hydropower. That brings that grand total to 47.9GW of power produced by renewable energy. At that time, Germany’s power demand was 61.1 GW. This means that renewable energy accounted for 78% of the country’s power.

Finally, on April 30, 2016, this record was broken again. On this day, Germany generated enough renewable energy to satisfy 85% of the country’s power demands. This happened even while all the coal stations had their day off; it was Sunday. The energy mostly came from wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.

Just goes to show how dedicated Germany is to the service. In fact, this 85% figure is said to become a normal evenryday occurrence in Germany by 2030.

 

Key Takeaway

Because of the full support of its people and government, Germany is able to go into full production with renewable energy such solar power. Even with little sun – as compared to tropical countries like ours – it still was able to become the world leader in renewable energy and solar power.

How do I judge if the price of a solar panel is worth it?

1. Ask your friends how much they paid for their solar systems.
2. The warranty must last for around 25 years.
3. Search for test and wind certification.
4. Consider how much space you have on your roof. The less space you have, the more efficient the panel you buy must be. Thus, you may have to pay more.
5. The inverter must be efficient.

 

There are many homes and buildings that use solar panels in the Philippines. The price for these systems is worth it when you can harness the powerful energy of the sun and turn it into electricity for, say, your air conditioner. Talk about turning the tables around!

However, it’s important that you know the just price of a solar panel in the country. That way, you won’t let the heat cloud your judgment when you’re buying a solar system. If you’re not sure how judge the price of solar panels in the Philippines, then keep these following guidelines in mind when you start canvassing.

 

Ask Around

This one is a very simple tip: you can simply ask your friends who have solar systems installed. They have gone through the rigorous process that you will be doing through and they would know the just price of a solar panel. Philippine residents can definitely use this tip because the climate has already prompted many to install their own solar system.

25-Year Warranty

With any big investment that promises it will last a long time – such as a solar panel – you need a guarantee that this will be seen through. This comes in the form of a warranty. For solar panels and systems, this should last for roughly around 25 years.

But you must also keep in mind that for a warranty to be honored, the manufacturer must still be operating. Thus, you shouldn’t buy a solar panel if its manufacturer has gone out of business or it doesn’t have a good track record.

Test Certification

Solar panels are tested in different ways. If they pass these certain tests, then these panels also get certain certifications. Look out for these certifications so you know exactly what tests a panel has passed. This is important because some are thorougly tested by a third party while some are just self-assessments. An example of the former is a TUV IEC 61215 certification, which indicates that an independent laboratory has tested the panel and it has passed their specifics. Look for these kinds of assurance to gauge whether the solar panel you wish to buy is reliable or not.

The Size of Your Roof

This is very important when deciding what type of panel to buy. The smaller space there is on your roof, then the panel will also have to be smaller. At the same time, it has to perform better than regular panels to be able to provide your home with power. Thus, you may have to spend more for such a unit. Even with a big roof, you have to consider the pros and cons of buying many inefficient panels versus a few efficient ones.

Wind Certification

Another certification you need to look at is the wind certification, especially you live in an area with many strong gusts. The panels with this proven assurance have mounting systems that are built to withstand cyclones. This will certainly be worth the price of the solar panel since the Philippines is prone to storms.

Inverter Efficiency

Finally, you need to check the inverter. Basically, this is the device that converts the energy from the panel into usable electricity. Thus, this absolutely has to be efficient so you can quickly get your investment back.

 

Key Takeaway

The truth is, the price of solar panels in the Philippines – or anywhere else – will be… well, pricey. After all, you will be investing in a complicated system that will save you tons of money in the future. What you need to look for is the solar panel that will return your investments back to you quickly, so you need to find that ones that are efficient and reliable. Follow the guidelines above and you surely will.

What are fun facts about the sun?

1. It makes up for 99.86% of the mass of the solar system; 330,000 times that of earth.
2. Its mass is 75% hydrogen and 25% helium.
3. 960,000 spherical earths can fit inside a hollow sun; 1,300,000 earths can fit if it’s grinded into fine powder.
4. It has 11,900 times the surface area of the earth.
5. 130 million years after it has consumed all its hydrogen, the sun will start consuming its helium, which will cause it to grow large enough to consume Mercury, Venus, and Earth. It will also turn red during this time.
6. The energy of the earth’s core is nuclear fusion.
7. The sun is almost a perfect circle; the difference between the polar and equatorial diameters is only 10km.
8. The sun travels around the Milky Way at 220 kps (kilometers per second). It takes arons 225-250 million years for it to make a full revolution.

 

When you live in a busy country like the Philippines, the solar system and its vastness may not come to mind all the time. Especially when you’re caught up dealing with big tasks, it’s easy to forget just how big the universe really is. However, just feeling the heat outside or looking up to the sky could quickly remind us of that.

The sun is natural wonder that gives us so much solar energy for our life on earth (and renewable energy) to flourish. With such benefits to the earth, it’s a shame that it’s existence is often taken for granted. Here’s a list of fun facts about the sun that you probably didn’t know… or just forgot about.  

 

The Mass of the Sun

The sun accounts for 99.86% of the mass of our entire solar system. Being that it’s 330,000 times the mass of Earth, this is not hard to believe. Of this 99.86%, 75% of the sun is hydrogen and 25% of it is helium.

Almost One Million Earths Worth

While putting into numbers the mass of the sun may come as a surprise to you, you can at least admit that it’s pretty obvious the sun is pretty huge. But how big is it exactly? Well, if the sun were hollow, then you could actually fit almost 960,000 spherical earths inside of it.

But of course, with spherical objects, there will always be spaces in between. If you could squash an earth into fine powder, then you could actually fit 1,300,000 Earths inside of the sun! Wow! Since the sun has 11,900 times the surface area of the earth, it’s not hard to see why fitting so many earths inside the sun is possible.

The Sun Will Consume the Earth

The sun is 75% hydrogen, so it will take several millennia for it to burn through it all. Even after all the hydrogen is gone, it will start to burn through the helium. This will take about 130 million years to do. When the time comes the helium will cause the sun to expand to a size so big that it will consume Mercury, Venus, and even the Earth! Luckily, we and our close descendants will be long gone from this life when this happens. The sun will also turn red during this time.

It’s Nuclear

Well, not the sun per se. The nuclear part of it is energy of the Sun’s core which is nuclear fusion. This is produced when 4 hydrogen nuclei combine and form into 1 helium nucleus.

A Perfect Circle in Nature

The closest thing to a perfect circle in nature is the sun! The difference between its polar and equatorial diameters is just 10kilometers. Considering that the sun is huge, 10kilometers is a veeery small difference. That makes its shape a very slight oblong; but more towards a perfect circle.

It travels at 220 KPS

Believe it or not, the sun is actually travelling at 220 kilometers per second. It may appear to be still but that’s because the earth and everyone in it (you and me included) is travelling along with it. While the earth revolves around the sun, the sun revolves around the Milky Way. Although 220 kilometers per second may seem really fast, it actually still takes the Sun and the entire solar system 225-250 million years to complete one full orbit.

 

Key Takeaway

While not all the bases were covered in this article, these fun facts show that the sun truly is a natural marvel. It makes you wonder how it came to be! Regardless of how this happened, we should all be thankful that man was ingenuous enough to learn how to harness its energy. You can see it with the prevalence of solar systems in the Philippines. With such a renewable energy system, several countries have already saved money and contributed to making the earth a more sustainable place.

How do solar panels work at night?

1. Through net metering
2. Through the use of solar energy storage technologies, or batteries

In the Philippines, the price of solar panels has decreased significantly. But are they of any use to homeowners and businesses at night?

It’s safe to say that the consumers have acknowledged the importance of sunlight in order to make the solar panels work and provide sufficient electricity supply to them. But we still need electricity at night, if only to power electric fans or air conditioners while we slumber. It can’t be avoided that there is concern as to the usability of solar energy at night, as there is no sunlight during this time.

 

Do solar panels work at night? If so, how?

There are two main ways to make solar panels work at night: through net metering and solar energy storage technology or batteries. Both allow consumers to access energy from the solar panels even without the sun on the rise.

 

Net Metering

Net metering makes solar panels a huge investment for consumers. It allows consumers to earn from their excess energy supply during the day, and maintains a connection to the grid during nighttime.

The process works like this: you keep the connection between you and the grid, while you also install the solar panels. So when the weather’s not good that there’s not enough sunlight for the solar panels to convert into electricity, your electricity supply can be taken from the grid. On the other hand, whenever your solar panels receive more sunlight, the excess electricity can be delivered to the grid. From there, you may earn credits that you can use during the night.

It can also be said that the grid serves as an energy storage for solar panels.

Solar Energy Storage

Another way to make solar panels work during the night is through solar energy storage such as batteries. These can be requested from your solar panel provider to include during installation.

Batteries are widely used compared to net metering, as the latter is not entirely available all over the world.

 

Are there other ways to further utilize solar panels at night?

As far as solar panels are concerned, various researches are being conducted all over the world to make the said technology work all night long.

These researches include prototypes, concepts, and technologies that are not only cost-efficient but also available in flexible materials for energy harvesting. One study, as The Solar Company writes, involved the use of “…embedding square spirals of conducting metal onto a sheet of plastic (called nanoantennas.”

Through these nanoantennas, solar panels are able to absorb UV light and infrared energy. Infrared energy is basically what the Earth has absorbed from the sun even after it has set. When combined with stored solar energy, the nanoantennas can have higher efficiency levels than the standard solar cells.

 

Key Takeaway

The short answer is yes, solar panels work at night – given that there’s enough stored energy to convert into electricity. However, with regards to its capability of generating energy during night is simply “possible” – given that researches are still being conducted and nothing’s definite as of now. Only time can tell what’s in the future of solar panels.

 

How can solar cell efficiency be improved?

1. Invest on a quality solar panel.
2. Make sure the panels get enough sun exposure.
3. Orient the solar arrays in the direction and angle that it can receive sunlight better.

Common solar cell efficiency may vary from around 10% to 20%. More and more people are installing solar panel system in order to minimize their electricity bills. A common concern is whether the price of a solar panel in the Philippines affects its efficiency.

So, how do you make sure that your affordable solar panels are working efficiently, and are producing maximum output to meet your needs? Here’s a few hacks to help you achieve that.

 

Make sure you’re investing on a quality solar panel.

Similar to buying the best meat for your family dinner, purchasing a panel for your solar PV system needs a bit of canvassing. A lot of research and thought needs to be put into it before deciding first, whether a solar panel system is right for you, and second, which is the best one. You can start by asking those in your network who already have solar panels installed. You can also browse the internet to find a ton of information on which particular panels are high-quality yet affordable.

Most solar panels today are made of silicon. This information can help you narrow down your options, and get directly to the types of silicon solar panels. There’s crystalline, monocrystalline, and polycrystalline – they differ on how silicon is used, its purity, and of course, the price.

For some, monocrystalline solar panels are better than polycrystalline as it is more heat tolerant and has a higher efficiency level especially in the tropics.

Beware of shades

Sun exposure plays a huge role to your solar panel’s efficiency and output. Because efficiency refers to the total percentage of the sun’s energy that solar cells accumulates to convert into electricity, it obviously relies on direct sunlight. Output, on the other hand, is the electricity that the solar array generates from the sunlight. The lesser the sun exposure, the lower the efficiency level.

This is particularly important in solar cells that are connected in a series. This is because when a single cell is shaded, it can decrease the output of its neighboring cells in the series.

In order to prevent such situation, make sure you install your solar PV system in a spot where absolutely nothing will block the sun rays.

Direction and angles matter.

When installing solar PV systems, it’s important to take the direction and angles of the panels into account as this can affect the efficiency of the arrays. If you get to orient the panels in the right direction and angle, there’s no more need to worry anymore about the sunlight that it receives in a day.

Additionally, the position and location of your home matters to the alignment of your solar system. Expert solar installers will know how to mount your solar arrays, hence, make sure to purchase your solar panels from a quality company that offers the instalment of the unit.

 

Key Takeaway

Increasing efficiency ensures that you get the maximum output from your solar PV system. Through these simple ways, not only can you make sure that your solar arrays are efficient enough to produce more than enough energy for your household needs, but that they can also be relied on for a longer time.

What are the benefits of sunlight to your body?

1. Getting Vitamin D – Sunlight gives vitamin D to the body, which improves bone health, blood pressure, and increase brain activity.
2. Gives you energy – Going out in the sun normalizes your sleep schedule and gives your body an energy boost.
3. Improves fertility – Men receive increased testosterone levels, while women are more fertile during summer seasons.
4. Curing Depression – Getting sunlight boost your mood, and makes surethat you do not get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

 

More and more people are learning about the benefits of using solar power in the business or even at home. And with solar panel prices in the Philippines becoming more affordable, it would not be surprising to see it commonplace in the near future.

It’s not just technology that can get energy from the sun. We could benefit from basking in a some sunrays too! Here are some reasons why getting some sunlight is good for your body.

 

Getting some Vitamin D

Solar panels harness energy from the sun to produce electricity. The human skin, meanwhile, gets a nice dose of vitamins with just enough sunlight. Getting the right amount of sunlight give your body Vitamin D, which is an essential element in your body’s nutrition. Vitamin D provides several health benefits, including bone health, lowering blood pressure, and increasing brain activity. Getting some vitamin D also lowers the risk of getting diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
body.

 

Gives you energy

Other than getting a healthy dose of vitamins, getting sunlight also energizes your body. Melatonin is the hormone in your body that regulates your sleep cycle. Getting sunlight signals the brain and the pineal gland to stop the production of melatonin. This will normalize a person’s sleep cycle, while also giving them a nice energy boost during the day. With this in mind, going out to get some sun on your work or school break gives your body that needed energy boost to get you through the rest of the day.
body.

 

Improves fertility

Melatonin is not only a hormone that regulates the body’s sleep cycle, but it also boosts fertility. Getting sunlight is helps increase the overall length of being fertile by a number of years. For the males, sun exposure boosts testosterone levels. This is one of the reasons why the summer season is a great time to start a family.

 

Mood Lifter

Not getting enough sunlight can cause your body to have SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is a form of depression caused by the lack of sunlight, and is very common for people who work long hours inside an office with no natural light. If you notice you’ve been feeling down and sluggish lately, try going outside during the day to give your body a healthy dose of serotonin, a hormone that lifts up your mood.

 
Even with all the benefits above, it is important to protect your skin when going out for long periods of time. Applying sunscreen on your skin protects you from UV rays which can harm your skin. The best times to go out and get sunlight without risking skin cancer are during the early hours of the morning.

Just like how solar energy can power a home or business, sunlight gives a good amount of benefits to your body. Normalizing your sleep schedule, getting an energy boost, increased fertility, and boosting your overall mood… the benefits make it really worth it to get out and get sunlight every now and then. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

 

What are examples of solar vehicles in the Philippines?

1. De La Salle Solar Car Project – The De La Salle University created the first solar car in the country, and is continuously undergoing development
2. Bangkarwayan – The uncanny creation of a university Professor is a solar car that, in theory, can traverse land and water

It might not be apparent, but there has been a gradual increase in the number of active solar panels in the Philippines. In addition to solar power becoming an increasingly popular energy providing alternative in the country, there are also several other solar projects that have come to form.

One of the more well-known projects has to do with making vehicles that are powered by solar energy. Some of these sustainable projects have gained recognition and praise internationally. Here are two of the most well-known solar vehicles that are proudly pinoy.

 

De La Salle Solar Car Project

Since 2007, the De La Salle University has had 3 solar car projects (with a fourth one coming in 2017). These cars were made by students and faculty from the university’s mechanical engineering department. The first solar car of the university SINAG (a Filipino word which means “sun rays”), introduced in 2007. It was the first of its kind in the Philippines, and represented our country at the World Solar Challenge in Australia in the same year. They landed 12^th place out of 40 competitors. The competition pits various solar cars across the world against each other in a grueling 3,000km course which aims to push the vehicles performance to the maximum.

The second project, named Sikat (“sunrise”), was completed in 2009. It was used in promoting the country’s bid to host the World Solar Challenge, but it did not compete. The 3^rd project, named Sikat II, was completed in 2013. It competed in that year’s edition of the World Solar Challenge in Australia, where it placed 3^rd in the Adventure class. With the success of these solar car projects, the university aims to create a 4^th project, which may compete internationally again.

The Bangkarwayan

Perhaps one of the most unorthodox vehicles to be ever created, the Bangkarwayan is a solar powered vehicle created and owned by UP Professor Benjamin Mangubat. The car was made out of indigenous materials like rattan and bamboo, and had a dark brown color scheme to make it look more “retro”. It harnesses power from the solar panels installed on the roof. The unusual car was made to be able to navigate on land and water, due to the flotation devices and boat propeller attached to the vehicle. It took six years for Mangubat to complete the vehicle, which has now become of the more popular sights in Manila.

 

While solar power continues to become more abundant and popular in the country, more companies would look into the possibility of producing solar-powered vehicles like cars, tricycles, buses, and trains in the near future. With more solar-powered vehicles roaming around in the country, it is possible to see a clean future where the use of renewable energy would be the norm. Do you see yourself driving or riding a solar-powered vehicle in the future?