About two years I did some work for the IFC’s Manila mission, working in conjunction with my colleague Grace Yeneza. The IFC asked us to conceptualize several alternative interventions for their consideration to help strengthen the electric cooperative sector here in the Philippines. One or more of these were to be undertaken by the IFC as a pilot project initiative for possible expansion across the country.
I now have an opportunity, working through World Bank, to help conceptualize several alternative initiatives to increase access to grid electricity supply in peri-urban and near-grid areas of Afghanistan! Two of these are to be chosen and implemented as pilot projects.
A teenie weenie bit more challenging – given that we have to give consideration to the realities of the situation in Afghanistan. I’m sure I don’t need to enumerate them for you; you can imagine.
My son said this was just about the most punk rock thing I could possibly do at my age.
Wednesday I fly to Delhi for 2-3 days of meetings and to get my Afghani visa. Then to Kabul. Back in Manila on May 4th. It’s a fifteen calendar-month effort, but just part time on my part.
I continue my role on the NRECA project that is implementing pilot initiatives at three Philippine electric cooperatives focused on reducing technical losses and my on-going advisory to my other Philippine clients regarding markets, pricing , and regulation.
2 Comments
Hi Nick:
Read your post on Filipinovoices.com
When are you returning to the Philippines?
I wanted to ask you about the prospects for solar energy and home energy in the Philippines – sourcing of solar cells, possibility of manufacturing solar cells in the philippines, etc.
BongV: I'm not extremely close to the solar activities here. Here's a link to an older Businessweek article on solar manufacturing in Philippines. http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/o...
Since the Philippines has a significant (or had, before the economic crisis) electronic fabrication industry, there are support facilities for manufacturing solar cells, I would think.
I presume SunPower is still manufacturing here – they made a significant investment and had an initial capacity of about 25 MW per year, I believe.
Aid agencies continue to fund significant amounts of rural roof top systems in poor, off-grid areas. There is at least one (probably more) private operators selling rooftop systems to upscale homes.