Mapua University and PetroEnergy Resources Corp., affiliates of the Yuchengco Group of Companies, have completed an international summer training program on renewable energy for foreign students.
Dubbed as Renewable Energy Innovation and Leadership Experience, the three-week course is designed to provide future energy leaders with the conceptual foundations and introductory practical knowledge in RE systems, technologies and operations while providing students the opportunities to tour the Philippine countryside.
“Mapua envisions the REILE program to be a mechanism and a collaborative educational avenue to highlight the importance of engineering in RE development and to promote RE as a tool for sustainable development,” said Dr. Reynaldo Vea, president and chief executive of Mapua University.
“The merging of engineering and technology brings many exciting possibilities to improve and sustain energy generation and efficiency, and we want Mapua to take the lead in exploring these possibilities,” said Vea.
Rosette Eire Camus, director of Mapua’s Office of International Career and Exchange Programs, said the first batch of REILE participants was composed of international undergraduate and graduate students from China, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Malaysia.
The REILE program combines theoretical introductory lectures by Mapua faculty on various RE technologies with visits to PetroEnergy’s geothermal, solar and wind power facilities and interaction with their professional engineers and staff, and invited talks by RE specialists from private industry and government, many of whom are Mapua alumni.
PetroEnergy’s RE projects include the 32-megawatt Maibarara geothermal power project in Batangas, the 70-MW solar power project in Tarlac and the 36-MW Nabas wind power project in Aklan.
These RE projects served as the natural laboratory for students to appreciate the various elements and challenges of RE development and operations as well as to showcase Filipino engineering and technical innovation.
“As Mapua’s sister company, we are pleased to host the first set of REILE students in our RE facilities and share our experiences from pre-development to operations and maintenance. We also thank invited speakers from the Department of Energy, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines who make our REILE Program more relevant and comprehensive,” said PetroEnergy president Milagros Reyes.