WEnergy Global, jointly with Maharlika Clean Power Holdings and Clean Grid Partners, collectively referred to as the Maharlika Consortium, through their Special Purpose Vehicle, Archipelago Renewables Corporation, have signed a Qualified Third Party (QTP) Service Contract to energize over 7,100 households and 300 small local businesses through 16 microgrids spread over 14 barangays in seven municipalities across the service area of the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) in Palawan. The Consortium emerged as the winner of the recently concluded QTP tender of PALECO to support its mandate for total rural electrification in the province, meeting the stringent eligibility and renewable energy smart microgrid capability requirements set by PALECO and the Department of Energy (DOE) in a competitive selection process. It will be replicating WEnergy Global's award-winning flagship microgrid in varying sizes of microgrids, which has been providing 24/7 electricity to the households and businesses of Barangay Cabayugan, home to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New7Wonders of Nature. Engaging the Private Sector in Rural Off-Grid Electrification "This tender is unique for the Philippines. It is the first time in history that smart and clean microgrids have been packaged for a competitive selection process. It clearly demonstrates the urgency with which DOE, NEA and PALECO are enabling private sector engagement in rural off-grid and clean electrification. The Philippines still has over 10 million people with unmet access to electricity. The best technology to electrify the community and boost their productivity for the best tariffs and the lowest reliance on subsidies and dependency on fossil fuels was selected. With this milestone, we can provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy to empower individuals, families, and enterprises in remote communities across Palawan," said Quintin Pastrana, President of Maharlika Clean Power Holdings, Inc. "The Consortium Partners were selected by PALECO through our Bids and Awards Committee and approved by our Board of Directors, because of their high-quality proposal, compliance, responsible ownership of off-grid power infrastructure, and excellence in planning, design, engineering, and technology selection, which are commercially viable and with the highest levels of social impact. They have also met the highest standards of clean power supply, transmission, distribution, and smart billing and collection services provided to households and businesses to support our mandate of total rural electrification in Palawan," said Jeffrey Y. Tan-Endriga, Chairman of PALECO. Filling the Gap in Southeast Asia's Clean Energy Demand Southeast Asia's energy demand is among the highest in the world, growing by as much as 80% in the last two decades. It remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with coal, diesel and natural gas supplying 75% of the region's electricity. However, approximately 100 million residents in the region still do not have access to electricity. While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has an articulated target of 23% renewable energy in its total primary energy supply by 2025, the region must overcome funding challenges, including limited private sector funding. "Investors need to consider financing smart microgrids and build the right capacity within their institutions to understand such new types of infrastructure. Right now they don't, hence they stay away and go back to business as usual. This includes IFC, ADB, FMO and commercial banks. A few local banks are working on such deals and they take a constructive and learning approach, which is essential. Because, Not only do microgrids facilitate access to electricity of rural communities, they also enable genuine sustainable development and resilience at the community level. The microgrids that we develop can be easily scaled and replicated," stated Atem Ramsundersingh, CEO and Board Director of WEnergy Global. "Considering the unmet need across Southeast Asia, most especially in archipelagic countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia, private sector financing must be mobilized to meet the region's SDGs beyond the level of just renaming existing old funds to be...

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