SHANGHAI, March 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai-based Energo Labs and Philippine energy supplier First Gen recently unveiled a cutting-edge clean energy project at De La Salle University – Dasmarinas (DLSU-D). Structured around a campus microgrid, this project demonstrates the disruptive power of blockchain technology in enabling the peer-to-peer exchange of electricity between prosumers (buildings that both consume and supply power at the same time), creating a more efficient supply of renewable energy. This innovative energy accounting system utilizes emerging distributed ledger technology to moderate and record these transactions.
Energo Labs, a global enterprise dedicated to transforming the renewable energy industry using decentralized technology, also donated a 10-kilowatt (KW) solar system to DLSU-D. Aside from saving the school up to 1.8 million PHP on electricity bills over its 20-year life, this new solar system will boost renewable energy production on campus, complementing DLSU-D's push to become one of the world's most sustainable campuses. It is currently ranked 23rd in Asia based on the 2017 Green Metric World University ranking.
This project was made possible through the value-enhancing service that comes with First Gen's power supply agreement, which supplies DLSU-D with 100% renewable energy.
"Our approach has always been to deliver unique value beyond the clean power we supply…given DLSU-D's strategy of exposing their students to leading-edge technologies, we felt blockchain as applied to energy would be ideal," remarked First Gen Vice President Aloysius Santos.
Other major stakeholders in the undertaking include DLSU-D's College of Engineering and Computer Science, project host and research partner; Chinese telecom corporation Huawei, PV solar inverter supplier; Brills Marketing, solar inverter provider; and Netsolar, solar panel provider and installer.
By increasing the supply of clean electricity at below-market prices and optimizing campus energy consumption, DLSU-D's microgrid project offers an economical, eco-friendly solution to issues such as frequent grid instability.
DLSU-D's Vice Chancellor for Academic and Research, Dr. Marco S. Saez, PhD commented, "We are fortunate to be one of the first campuses in the country to have a functional blockchain-enabled microgrid. Such projects nurture curiosity among our students, leading to greater innovation."
Energo Labs also hosted an interactive workshop in the university on March 8th, covering topics such as blockchain's potential for social impact and a live demo of Energo's energy trading mobile application.
Considering the success of the DLSU-D microgrid project, Energo continues to promote local blockchain education and entrepreneurship, with plans to develop an extended series of workshops and related student research opportunities in collaboration with DLSU-D.
Aside from DLSU-D, Energo's partners include organizations focused on inclusive access to clean energy, such as the CLEAN Energy Access Network, Power for All, and the Alliance for Rural Electrification, as well as corporations looking to blockchain for decentralization and sustainability.
Energo Labs utilizes blockchain to affect tangible socio-environmental change in urban and rural areas alike, accelerating the electrification of non-grid connected areas by combining emerging technologies like blockchain with existing hardware like solar cells and energy storage systems. With additional projects planned in South Korea, Singapore, India, and Thailand, Energo is dedicated to advancing the future of the clean energy sector on an international scale.
