EU and the Philippines ink seven clean energy contacts

The official launch of the seven projects is scheduled in January 2019.

The European Union (EU) inked seven new clean energy contracts worth $23.86m (EUR21m) with Philippine civil society organisations, cooperatives, authorities, and universities to help provide for 40,000 households. This is in line with the Department of Energy's 100% of electrification goal for 2020.

According to an announcement, the EU’s contribution to these projects is part of the broader Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (EU-ASEP) that aims to support the electrification of 100,000 households in the Philippines.

European Union Ambassador Franz Jessen highlights that ASEP, which will last until 2021, will increase the share of renewables in the energy mix to expand access to clean electricity by remote populations and to pursue new energy efficiency strategies.

The official launch of the seven projects is scheduled in January 2019.

Some of the contributions include a EUR5m grant to Solar Home Systems (SHS) for 5,000 households in Mindanao areas and a EUR3.7m grant to enhance social welfare, disaster-resilience and economic growth of vulnerable off-grid communities in remote areas of the Northern Samar province.