A Groundbreaking activity will kick-off on Sept. 16, 2010 to start the implementation of a 35 kilowatts micro hydropower in the off grid, upland and farmers community of  Sitio Lobo, Bgy. Ned, Municipality of Lake Sebu, Province of South Cotabato.  Bgy Ned is the largest and farthest  isolated barangays of Lake Sebu with a total population of about 14,000 in 2000. The community of sitio Lobo can be reached by motorcycles and four wheel drive through rugged and sloping terrains within 3 hours from the municipality of Sto Nino.

 It is located 45 kilometers away from the nearest power grid. The micro hydropower would respond to the community needs of about 300 households for quality lighting, power for household electric appliance like TV and karaoke, community lighting for elementary and high schools and sitio hall, street lighting, and power for small scale agricultural processing. Other expected benefits include providing power to run computers and printers used by students in the high school. Currently, the computers are powered by diesel fed generators which is fossil based energy and has high cost of maintenance and operations. Currently, many of the community members are also using diesel-based generators to provide lighting to their homes where they spend too much for their basic lighting needs. Some families have rice and corn mill also powered by diesel.

With this project, the households would be benefitted by quality lighting, enhance education, and promote local economy. Environmental benefits include contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases to a total of 158 tonnes of  Carbon dioxide ( CO2)annually  being avoided and brought to the environment by using this appropriate, renewable and environment friendly technology. Watershed protection would also be enhanced through a community-based watershed management and rehabilitation by building forest free nursery and reforest watershed area. Watershed management and protection is one of the long term strategies for the sustainability of a micro hydropower project.    

This project is the second micro hydropower project installed by Yamog in Lake Sebu. The first one was a 10 kilowatt established in 2005 in Sitio Tablo, Brgy Lemdalag  that provide lighting to 200 T’bolis.

The project is being implemented by Yamog Renewable Energy Development Group, Inc in partnership with the community of Sitio Lobo, the Barangay Local Government Unit of Ned and the Municipal Government of Lake Sebu. The project is realized with financial support  from Misereor, SEACOLOGY, and other funding partners.

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