SOLAR and storage are expected to carry more of the country’s power mix as demand grows, and the government pursues cleaner energy targets. But scaling up requires more than installing panels. It needs tested equipment, trained people and data that match local conditions. Pushing to expand solar power in the Philippines is a new industry-academe tie-up aimed at turning research into deployable technology.
On July 28, the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA) and Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on research, testing, training and standards for solar photovoltaic systems and energy storage.
The signatories were MMSU President Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr. and PSSEA President and board member Jose Rafael Mendoza. Witnessing were PSSEA Chairman Maria Theresa Capellan and MMSU-Center for Affiliated Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Conservation (CARE) project leader Thomas Ubiña.
At the center of the partnership is MMSU-CARE, under the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center. Under the MOU, the center will take the lead on engineering studies, system performance analysis, diagnostic surveys, field validation and performance testing of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. It will develop methods for technical assessment and document results for wider use.
PSSEA, a nonstock, nonprofit group of solar and energy storage stakeholders, will represent industry and link MMSU with companies, provide operational data and technical inputs, help share research findings, and push for industry standards and best practices.
Both parties will work on strengthening technical standards for solar PV, support the setup and operation of a Solar Technology Testing Center, and hold workshops and consultations with stakeholders. The agreement states that all activities will align with national energy policies and professional standards.
By combining MMSU’s research capacity with PSSEA’s industry network, the two aim to shorten the path from laboratory findings to field application. “Through this partnership with industry, we can generate innovations, strengthen technical capabilities and prepare future professionals who will help accelerate the country’s transition to clean and sustainable energy,” Manzano said.
According to a PSSEA statement, the alliance said the MOU will promote knowledge exchange, technical advancement and the adoption of best practices in solar and storage.
The immediate outputs will be in three areas: research papers and technical reports from MMSU-CARE, industry feedback and data from PSSEA members, and training programs that feed graduates into the renewable sector.
With a testing center in the pipeline and joint studies on system performance, the partnership is designed to address a practical gap: ensuring that solar and storage technologies deployed in the Philippines are measured, validated and improved locally.
