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ILOCOS NORTE diesel generators that provided electricity for only three hours every evening. This hindered the island’s growing tourism industry, driven mainly by foreign visitors and divers. Thanks to the microgrid, diving hotspot Isla Verde now offers natural wonders while delivering modern comforts and conveniences to local and international divers alike. This island is a 90-minute boat ride from the nearest province, tucked between Luzon and the Mindoro panhandle. It has always been inaccessible to the main national power grid, until recently. Meralco solar microgrid system philstar.com In February 2019, Isla Verde was energized by a 32-kilowatt (kW) solar panel microgrid, supported by a 192-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery storage facility. This project was spearheaded by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). A microgrid facility is a small-scale power grid that can operate independent of the country’s main transmission network. A solar microgrid is powered using solar panels connected to a battery storage facility. Crucially, the solar microgrid system allows Isla Verde to live up to its name, to become an island not just verdant but also ecologically sound. Cheaper and more reliable to operate than diesel generators, the microgrid is also far more sustainable. This guarantees that the island’s tourism industry will thrive with a minimal environmental impact and a lower carbon footprint. In February 2019, Isla Verde was energized by a 32-kilowatt (kW) solar panel microgrid, supported by a 192-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery storage facility. It also promises to better preserve Isla Verde’s natural beauty, to benefit both visitors as well as future generations of residents. The Verde Island Passage offers a great diversion for tourist on their way to Mindoro’s diving Mecca at Sabang and Puerto Galera, the home of the yacht club that each year thebrokenheartedtraveller.files.wordpress.com 56