ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 11 March) – The Universidad de Zamboanga (UZ) and the Buskowitz Development, Inc. (BDI) forged on Tuesday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the development of a P12-million solar power project in one of the campuses of UZ in this city.
The MOA signatories were Atty. Linda Eustaquio-Lim, UZ president, and James Buskowitz, BDI chief executive officer.
The project will see the installation of a 120-kilowatt (KW) solar power system to supply electricity to the UZ main campus in Barangay Tetuan.
The BDI will be the quantity surveyor and financing partner of UZ. They appointed Energy Renewable Asia, Inc. (ERA) as the solar energy provider.
James Buskowitz, BDI chief executive officer, said the installation of the solar panels will start either by June or July.
Buskowitz said the solar power project is expected to be operational a month later.
Lim said they chose ERA as the solar energy provider because of its local expertise having already done several projects in Metro Manila, Aklan and Iloilo, as well as international experience in Germany, Australia, India and Myanmar.
“We are taking the lead so that the others will not be afraid to venture into this kind of project. We need to be able to do something and to show to the people that we are willing to take the risk,” Lim said.
She said UZ takes the lead in the utilization of solar energy among higher education institutions in Region IX as part of the university’s corporate social responsibility on the environment.
“This venture is part of the institution’s efforts to help fight the effects of climate change along with other green initiatives of UZ,” Lim said.
She said they expect the electricity expenses of UZ to lessen once the project is operational.
She disclosed that they are planning to develop solar power project in every UZ campus.
UZ, which is known earlier as the Zamboanga A. E. Colleges (ZAEC), has eight campuses spread all over the city.
Almost all of UZ’s campuses have large and flat roof spaces. Being a university where most of its load is needed during the day, solar photovoltaic system fits in perfectly.
