The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) is looking to employ renewable energy sources to power various agriculture postharvest and mechanization equipment, which would help reduce the dependence of farmers on fossil fuel sources.
PhilMech Executive Director Ricardo L. Cachuela said that among the renewable energy sources that the agency is studying and testing are solar, wind and biomass.
“Tapping renewable energy sources would also allow farmers and fisher folk in areas not served with electricity or with limited fuel supply to power some agricultural machineries and equipment,” Cachuela said.
In solar energy, PhilMech has designed a solar furnace made from curved steel that would be used for drying applications. Traditional solar furnaces use curved mirrors but these are expensive and not locally available compared to curved steel. PhilMech made sure that the solar furnace it is testing would be made from locally-available materials for easy fabrication.
“Using locally available materials would make it easier to manufacture the solar furnace once it is ready for commercialization,” Cachuela said.
Another renewable energy PhilMech is exploring is wind, with the agency set to test prototype units in farming areas where there are farmer-cooperators willing and capable to test the technology.
Based on data gathered and evaluated by PhilMech, the most qualified prospective cooperators are located in the provinces Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Laguna, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Tarlac and Lanao del Sur. PhilMech has started conducting the pilot tests in Aurora, Negros Occidental and Laguna this year.
“Windmill technology is very applicable in areas where there are no electricity lines, and where fuel supply is constrained because of the far distance of gasoline stations,” Cachuela said.
In biomass, PhilMech has approved for commercialization a grains drier that uses rice hull as fuel to generate heat. Traditional grains driers use dkerosene to generate heat.
“More research will be done by PhilMech to see how biomass like rice hull could be put to good use,” Cachuela said. Veron Hernandez, PhilMech
