Target households in Surigao del Norte receive Solar Cloudgrid units. Photos courtesy of Light of Hope PH.
A project supported by the BIMP-EAGA–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund is giving low-income families in disaster-prone areas access to clean, affordable energy.
In climate-vulnerable, off-grid communities in Surigao del Norte, Light of Hope PH is offering portable solar kits to low-income households as an alternative to unsafe kerosene lamps and costly diesel generators. This social enterprise is one of the grant recipients of the BIMP-EAGA–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (BKCF).
“Light Of Hope Philippines aims to help build resilient and sustainable communities to help mitigate climate change and uplift the lives of underprivileged off-the-grid families through the use of sustainable and renewable energy technologies,” says founder Jovie Gil Montajes, a solutions engineer. “We provide clean, affordable energy access to beneficiary families, ensuring long-term sustainability by charging only a minimal maintenance fee to keep the solar units operational and impactful over time.”
As of June 2023, the electrification rate in the Philippines was at 91%. Between 2024 and 2028, the Department of Energy estimates that the number of unserved households at more than three million, and 35% of them are in off-grid areas.
Developing the Solar Cloudgrid
In 2017, Montajes and his friends started the Solar Night Lamps in a Bottle project in his home province of Cebu in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines to provide poor families with a substitute for kerosene lamps, which are a health and fire hazard to the community.
“During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, families were quarantined in their houses, and it was very difficult for them to go out to their neighbors or nearby stores to charge their mobile devices, so they requested Light of Hope PH to build something that could let them charge their mobile devices,” recounts Montajes. This led to the creation of the Solar Cloudgrid version 1.0 with the first batch of solar kits deployed in poor communities in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu. “Today, we are now at version 9.2 of the Solar Cloudgrid units,” he says.
A basic Solar Cloudgrid unit is made up of one solar panel, an energy storage box, two LED bulbs, four USB ports for mobile charging, and four 12V sockets. Beneficiaries pay only a monthly maintenance fee for the upkeep of the units. The Light of Hope PH team manages the electronic waste (e-waste) generated from the project, ensuring a closed-loop system that prevents e-waste from accumulating in the community.
Montajes (center) and his team developed the Solar Cloudgrid as a clean energy alternative for off-grid households.
Light of Hope PH joined competitions and applied for grant funding to continue its initiatives. Its Off-Grid Solar Home Systems Deployment in Disaster-Vulnerable Low- Income Communities in Surigao Islands, Mindanao was one of eight projects approved for grant funding under BKCF in 2023. The 2-year project received a $300,000 grant.
“The support from BKCF has been invaluable. This is the largest grant we’ve received to date,” says Montajes. “Thanks to their support, we successfully developed versions 9.0 and 9.1 of our solar home systems for deployment in Surigao del Norte. They also invited us to participate in a Capacity Building and Project Monitoring and Evaluation Workshop held in Kota Kinabalu from 12 to 14 November 2024.”
Strengthening disaster resilience
Light of Hope PH is implementing the off-grid solar project in partnership with Global Green Growth Institute Philippines and in collaboration with Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and local government units. The initiative aims to strengthen resilience and promote sustainability in disaster-prone areas. By deploying clean energy solutions and empowering local communities, the project seeks to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, ensuring that vulnerable groups are better equipped to recover and thrive.
Surigao del Norte province is located at the northeastern tip of Mindanao mainland and also encompasses Siargao and Bucas Grande islands, some minor islands, and islets. It is one of the areas in the country frequented by typhoons.
On 21 December 2021, Super Typhoon Rai (called Odette in the Philippines) made its first landfall in Siargao Island. The Category 5 typhoon damaged houses, business establishments, farms, transport and communication infrastructure, and power transmission lines in the country. It took months to restore electricity and water and sanitation services, especially in the islands.
Engaging with the community early and continuously is important to ensure the solution meets their needs.
Lessons learned
Light of Hope PH conducted community assessments and seminars to brief the communities and development partners in Surigao del Norte about the benefits of using the Solar Cloudgrid kits. However, the uptake was slow initially. Target households found the small amount (less than $6) charged as monthly maintenance fee still high.
“We realized that our assumptions, based on our projects in Cebu and Bohol, did not fully apply to the communities in Surigao del Norte. We adjusted the maintenance fee, which made the service more accessible and encouraged community participation,” says Montajes.
“This experience highlighted the importance of adapting our models to the unique socioeconomic conditions of each community, ensuring both affordability for beneficiaries and long-term project sustainability,” he adds. “One of our key advantages is operating with a lean and efficient team. Even with a reduced maintenance fee for the Surigao del Norte project, we can still sustain operations beyond the project period, ensuring continued service and impact.”
Another lesson Montajes and his team learned is the importance of engaging the community early and continuously. “Active participation from community members is key to project success,” he shares. “Involve them from the planning phase through implementation to foster a sense of ownership, build trust, and ensure the solution meets their specific needs.
Initial results
On 22 October 2024, severe tropical storm Trami, locally known as Kristine, hit the Philippines. In Surigao del Norte, strong winds and waves destroyed several houses along the coast of Barangay Mabua, Surigao City. Affected families brought with them their portable Solar CloudGrid units to the evacuation centers. These enabled users to charge their mobile phones and power small appliances, such as LED bulbs and electric fans.
As of December 2024, Montajes says they have deployed a total of 501 units for the Surigao del Norte project and expects to reach 1,000 units in the coming months. The project timeline is until April 2025.
“Across all our initiatives, we have successfully deployed 882 units, including projects in Cebu and Bohol provinces. Collectively, these efforts have reduced 113,491.73 kg of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, improving the lives of 4,410 Filipinos,” says Montajes. In Surigao del Norte alone, the 501 solar kits are estimated to benefit 2,505 individuals and to result in 37,580.20 kg of CO₂ emissions avoided.