THE Department of Energy (DOE) has turned over three mobile solar-powered energy units to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Camp Aguinaldo, in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to bolster national defense, disaster preparedness, and energy resiliency.
Held on July 29, the turnover and training ceremony was conducted in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), Energy Secure Philippines, and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI).
The event also held an operations and maintenance training session for AFP personnel to operate and maintain the Mobile Energy System (MES). The portable machines are designed to provide off-grid energy to command centers, hospitals, and other critical operations, especially in disaster-hit or remote areas.
“The Mobile Energy System is a force multiplier. It energizes our frontliners, supports mission-critical operations, and delivers on the president’s call for a resilient and secure energy future,“ Energy Undersecretary and Task Force on Energy Resiliency Chairman Felix William Fuentebella said.
The units were formally received by Brig. Gen. Armand Arevalo on behalf of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
Each MES unit is mounted on a 20-foot trailer and includes 9.18 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar panels, a 60 kilovolt-ampere (kVA) hybrid inverter, and a 102.4 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery storage system. These features enable the units to deliver rapid, off-grid electricity to support critical missions in high-risk or inaccessible locations.
The DOE said the MES units have been proven effective in real-world deployments. They were previously used in typhoon-affected areas in Sta. Ana and Lal-lo in Cagayan, and, more recently, in the remote islands of Pag-asa and Balabac in Palawan.
“These systems are more than equipment — they are part of a long-term strategy for energy resiliency. Their success depends on the skill and readiness of our personnel,” Fuentebella added.
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