Cruz Marcelo & Trenefrancia is a full-service firm based in the Philippines which has recently seen a surge in its renewable energy work.

The firm has been advising Red Core Geothermal in connection with the development of its three geothermal power plants. With the Philippines suffering from electricity outages and high electricity prices, the three power plants are expected to address power supply issues in Manila and the entire island of Luzon; the first plant has the potential to sustainably produce 13-35 megawatts of electrical power, and the second and third plants 45-185 megawatts and 30-130 megawatts respectively.

The firm has also conducted a study on the feed-in tariff system in the Philippines, including the requirements and procedure for the establishment of solar power plants in the country.

Head of the energy department, Patricia A O Bunye, is the founding president of NGO Diwata, which recently launched the project ‘Tanging Tanglaw: Turning IP Grandmothers into Solar Engineers’. Through the assistance of Bunye, Barefoot College in Tilonia, India, and other partner companies, the innovative project aims to empower indigenous peoples (IP), specifically women who are no longer the primary caregivers of their families, by teaching them how to harness solar power to light up their communities.