MSU - CARE

07/11/2025

𝙈𝙈𝙎𝙐-𝘼𝙍𝙀𝘾 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙃𝙀𝙋 𝘼𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙀 𝙈𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙏𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙖𝙘

The MMSU–Affiliated Renewable Energy Center (AREC) successfully concluded its final leg of field activities in the Province of Tarlac, focusing on the municipalities of San Jose and Capas, to gather insights from beneficiaries of the Household Electrification Program (HEP) and to map non-commercial renewable energy systems using ARECGIS.

A total of 82 households participated in the interviews, sharing firsthand how the Solar Home Systems (SHSs) have improved their daily lives. Many of these families live in remote mountain communities where grid electricity remains inaccessible. The SHSs provided them with a reliable source of lighting, extending productive hours and improving overall safety and comfort at home.

Though some SHS units have deteriorated over time due to component wear and the lack of replacement parts, the program has created a lasting positive change. Some residents have already shifted to commercially available solar lighting products, demonstrating how access to renewable energy solutions continues to influence and empower communities even after the original systems reach their end of life.

In parallel, the AREC team conducted a comprehensive mapping and inventory of existing non-commercial renewable energy systems (mostly solar-powered) across Tarlac through the Affiliated Renewable Energy Center Geographic Information System (ARECGIS). This effort forms part of the Center’s key initiatives supporting the Department of Energy’s national goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s overall power mix, by ensuring that even small-scale and off-grid RE installations are properly documented and recognized.

14/08/2025

07/08/2025

01/08/2025

15/07/2025

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗠𝗦𝗨 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗗𝗿. 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗣. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗼, 𝗝𝗿.!

As our new university president, may you continue to serve with commitment, passion, and inclusivity. We hope to see your SUCCEED agenda be realized under your leadership.

We are grateful for your guidance over the past five months, and we look forward to your continued dedication throughout your four-year term.

The MMSU community wishes you good health, wisdom, and strength. May God continue to bless you.

08/07/2025

In Photos | 𝙈𝙈𝙎𝙐-𝘼𝙍𝙀𝘾 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙧-𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙉𝙁𝙏 𝙃𝙮𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙎𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙇𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

Pioneering the integration of agriculture and renewable energy, the Mariano Marcos State University – Affiliated Renewable Energy Center (MMSU-AREC), in collaboration with the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center (NBERIC), officially launched its demonstration of Indoor Solar-Powered NFT Hydroponics System on June 25, 2025 .

Installed within the AREC office, the system can cultivate lettuce using a soilless multi-tier NFT Hydroponic method and is fully powered by the solar photovoltaic (PV) system of the NBERIC building. This initiative demonstrates a sustainable model of urban agriculture that combines clean energy with innovative food production technologies.

The launching ceremony was graced by representatives from the Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, various LGUs, and partner agencies. Dr. Aris Reynold V. Cajigal, MMSU Vice President for Academic Affairs, led the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, alongside officials and personnel from AREC, NBERIC, and other university units. A highlight of the event was the system demonstration by Engr. Joefel A. Danipog, AREC Research Specialist, who walked the attendees through the hydroponic cultivation process, system components, and operational features.

To cap off the event, a special lunch was served featuring a fresh garden salad made from lettuce harvested directly from the hydroponics system—offering a literal taste (crunchy and juicy) of the technology’s potential.

This initiative reinforces MMSU’s commitment to promoting sustainable agriculture and advancing renewable energy-based solutions for food security and climate resilience.

13/06/2025

IN PHOTOS | 𝙈𝙈𝙎𝙐 𝘼𝙍𝙀𝘾 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 2025 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮 𝙀𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

Engr. Thomas D. Ubiña, Director of the Mariano Marcos State University’s Affiliated Renewable Energy Center (MMSU AREC), served as one of the speakers during the Philippine Conference on Energy Efficiency and Conservation (PCEEC) 2025, held on June 3–4 at the Makati Diamond Residences, Makati City. The event, spearheaded by the Department of Energy (DOE), brought together key energy stakeholders from across the country under the theme “Advancing EEC through Green Financing and Artificial Intelligence.”

In his presentation, Engr. Ubiña showcased MMSU’s innovative approaches to energy efficiency and conservation (EEC), emphasizing the university’s strong commitment to becoming a Net Zero Energy Campus and its continued initiatives on Republic Act 11393. He highlighted the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center (NBERIC) as a model in its transition toward a Net Zero Energy Building, achieved through the integration of renewable energy systems and energy management. He also underscored MMSU’s institutional efforts such as the establishment of a dedicated EEC committee, the conduct of information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns on renewable energy and EEC, and the university’s active pursuit of continuous learning in emerging technologies and practices. Furthermore, he presented MMSU’s academic contributions, particularly the offering of renewable energy engineering courses.

The 2-day conference served as a platform for knowledge exchange among public and private sector leaders, development partners, and academic institutions. Key discussions focused on the application of artificial intelligence in optimizing energy systems through real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and automation, as well as the scaling of green financing mechanisms such as energy service performance contracts, green bonds, and investment incentives.

27/05/2025

In Photos | 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙍𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮: 𝙈𝙈𝙎𝙐-𝘼𝙍𝙀𝘾 𝙃𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨 5-𝘿𝙖𝙮 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙋𝙑 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙎𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨!

Twenty-three Grade 11 students from the STEM strand of Paoay National High School and General Artemio Ricarte Senior High School, along with their teachers, energized their summer vacation by participating in an exciting 5-day renewable energy (RE) bootcamp held at the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center (NBERIC) from May 19 to 23, 2025.

The bootcamp, titled “Hands-On Training on Solar PV Systems & Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Assembly for the Household Electrification Program (HEP) of the Department of Energy (DOE),” offered a firsthand experience in RE technologies. The students learned the fundamentals of electricity, electronics & electrical safety, explored the components & applications of solar PV systems, and got their hands dirty by building actual BESS.

By the end of the program, the students successfully built six fully functional BESS units. Four will soon be deployed to help power off-grid communities under the DOE’s HEP, while the remaining two were donated to the participating schools as learning kits and emergency power station.

This initiative, led by AREC with the support of NBERIC and DOE, underscores MMSU’s commitment to expanding energy access and promoting sustainable development through RE innovation.

From circuits to communities—these young future engineers are now wired to spark change and power a cleaner tomorrow!

01/05/2025

𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮: 𝘼 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙈𝙎𝙐-𝘼𝙍𝙀𝘾’𝙨 𝙇𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙍𝙀 𝙄𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨

𝘏𝘺𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘔𝘔𝘚𝘜-𝘈𝘙𝘌𝘊

MMSU-AREC continues to push the boundaries of agricultural innovation by integrating renewable energy with hydroponic farming. Inside the MMSU-ARECs office, a solar-powered hydroponics test unit successfully grew 17 healthy, crunchy and juicy heads of lettuce. Building on this success, a full-scale prototype with a 108-lettuce capacity is now being fabricated and will soon be showcased as a demonstration unit within the facility.

𝘋𝘖𝘌 𝘙𝘌 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦

As part of MMSU-AREC’s core deliverable to secure project closure documents for the Household Electrification Program (HEP) in five municipalities, the team recently conducted field visits to LGUs in Rodriguez (Rizal), Doña Remedios Trinidad (Bulacan), Capas, and San Jose (Tarlac). We successfully secured three certification documents during this visit — with Capas pending. To date, we’ve facilitated four completed closures, including Magallanes (Cavite). We aim to complete the final certification from Capas by the first week of May 2025.

𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘻, 𝘙𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘭

From April 22 to 25, MMSU-AREC conducted a four-day fieldwork mission in Rodriguez (Rizal), interviewing 20 HEP beneficiaries who received solar home system (SHS) units in 2013 and 2014. Many shared that these systems were crucial, especially during periods when grid electricity was unavailable. The team also performed an inventory of non-commercial solar PV systems in the municipality, mapping their locations and interviewing its owners. All collected data, including coordinates and documentation, have been uploaded to the ARECGIS platform.

𝘔𝘔𝘚𝘜-𝘈𝘙𝘌𝘊 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦-𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨

MMSU-AREC continues to support the Solar Homeowners Association, recently convening its second board meeting last March 14, 2025. A key agenda item was the plan to formally register the association with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This step will help legitimize the organization, strengthen its collective voice, and position it to help shape future solar PV policies.