THE Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) looks for renewable energy sources to power various agricultural postharvest and mechanization equipment, which would help reduce farmers’ dependence 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.
He said that these renewable energy sources would allow farmers and fisher folk in areas without electricity or with limited fuel supply to power some agricultural machineries and equipment.
In solar energy, for drying applications, PhilMech has designed a solar furnace made from curved steel, that is locally fabricated and therefore less expensive compared to the traditional solar furnace that is made from imported curved mirror.
“Using locally available materials would make it easier to manufacture the solar furnace once it is ready for commercialization,” Cachuela said.
In wind energy, PhilMech is set to test windmill prototype units in farming areas where there are farmer-cooperators willing and capable to test the technology.
The most qualified prospective cooperators based on data gathered and evaluated according to Cachuela are located in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Laguna, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Tarlac and Lanao del Sur.
This year, PhilMech has started conducting the pilot tests in Aurora, Negros Occidental and Laguna.
In biomass, PhilMech has approved for commercialization a grain drier unit that uses rice hull as fuel to generate heat, unlike the traditional grain drier that uses Kerosene 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. Ester Gallardo, PSciJourn MegaManila
