The Maharlika Consortium, a group of Philippine and Singaporean companies focused on microgrid innovation, has broken ground on a total of 24 off-grid microgrids, which will bring clean, reliable electricity to 11,560 households, benefiting over 50,000 people and local enterprises, across unserved or underserved communities in the provinces of Palawan, Cebu, and Quezon.

The project, the largest private-sector energy portfolio of its kind in the country, will initially deploy 7 megawatts ( peak ) of solar photovoltaic power, battery energy storage systems ( BESS ) totalling 8 megawatt-hours, diesel capacity of 3.5MW, and a smart power distribution network spanning 225 kilometres across the three provinces.

The consortium, which is developing the project through its special purpose companies Archipelago Renewables Corporation ( ARC ) and ARC II, includes Maharlika Clean Power Holdings from the Philippines, WEnergy Global from Singapore, and CleanGrid Partners from Singapore. A microgrid is a localized energy system that can generate, distribute, and control electricity independently or in conjunction with the main power grid.

Representing approximately 2.1 billion pesos ( US$35 million ) in capital investment, the undertaking has begun construction after receiving regulatory approvals from the Energy Regulatory Commission and other relevant government agencies. The project was awarded to Maharlika following a competitive selection process by the government under the Qualified Third Party Programme and the new Microgrid Service Provider Act.

It builds on the award-winning Sabang Microgrid that the consortium has developed and has been operating since 2019, serving over 600 consumers in the Unesco Heritage community that hosts the renowned Underground River in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

This latest project is expected to generate about 300 full-time jobs during the 10-12 month construction period, with 30 permanent positions for operations and maintenance, and additional part-time sub-contractors for ongoing maintenance works.

According to Maharlika, the project underscores the Philippine government's intensified efforts to fast-track rural electrification projects. With the country facing an energy crisis along with most parts of the world as the Middle East conflict drags on, a decentralized and hybrid power infrastructure is its best strategy to bolster energy security, the group says. Such hybrid power will reduce the government's fuel subsidy burden while ensuring business continuity across entire communities, as over 50-60% of the power is generated from locally available sunlight.