‘Improving energy security’ is a priority area for the Newton Agham Programme in the Philippines. Building capacity in research and development in energy studies to support the Philippine government’s commitments to the Paris Agreement of 2015 is a need and opportunity for international collaboration under the Newton Fund.
One of these initiatives is the British Council Institutional Links project between University of Southampton and the University of San Carlos (USC) led by Prof Abubakr Bahaj and Engr Isabelo Rabuya. Co-funded by the Commission on Higher Education and the Newton Agham Programme, this research partnership aims to provide access to sustainable energy through collaboration with industry and local government stakeholders. Specifically, it aims to examine relevant multi-disciplinary innovations in the areas of energy efficiency (EE) in buildings through refurbishment coupled with approaches for buildings as power generators and studies in renewable energy for rural electrification.
As part of the project’s strategic aims, a stakeholder meeting was held in Cebu City last 21 October 2017. This roundtable discussion was attended by Dr Bahaj, Engr Rabuya, and representatives from academia, industry and local government to gather and engage relevant stakeholders. The collaboration aims to evaluate recent progress on the proposed solutions to determine the applicability of microgrids in various Philippine energy clusters and develop a roadmap to address relevant needs.
A new round of calls for applications to Institutional Links and other British Council Newton Fund activities will open in April 2018. For more information, visit our website at https://www.britishcouncil.ph/programmes/newton-fund