The essential oil factory in Sitio Anangue, Brgy. Buenavista, Murcia, which was constructed with a grant from the Direct Assistance Program of the Australian Embassy, was through the same program provided with a 16 kW solar system. Since 2011 the distillation of lemongrass oil was done with bamboo and firewood. It has always been the wish of AIDFI to have the processing be done through Renewable Energy. This was only partial the case with the use of AIDFI ram pumps supplying water for boiling and condensing and even for irrigation of lemongrass plants.
The solar system set up is hybrid, meaning while distilling electricity is consumed from the solar panels with the lacking kW’s coming from the grid. When there is no distillation, the panels deliver to the grid for which credits are earned and used for subsequent distillations.
The system was inaugurated last November 21 in the presence of Dr. Collet, Deputy Head of Mission from the Australian Embassy.
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