Mersin City’s solar technology to benefit Davao City

The benefits that Davao City can derive from the proposed sisterhood agreement with Mersin City in Turkey are almost endless but one significant area the city can start with is Mersin’s solar technology.

“It is high time that Davao City look for an alternative source of energy and one of the best sources we can tap is solar energy which is already widely used in Mersin City,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. She said the committee on international relations is in the process of gathering data and is set to propose a twinning agreement with Mersin City.

Mersin City is a highly developed city which boasts of being the location of the 52-floor Mertim Tower, the second tallest skyscraper in Turkey. However, Zozobrado said, what is distinctive about Mersin City is the use of solar heating panels on top of every building.

The signing into law of the Renewable Energy Act 2008 also known as RA 9513 last December 16 should encourage businesses to explore the possibility of investing in renewable energy sources in Davao City. This law, which provides tax and other incentives for businesses that will invest in renewable energy sources, signifies a more politically and economically-friendly atmosphere for these types of investments.

Solar panels are everywhere in Mersin City and we can replicate that here in Davao City, Zozobrado said. Solar energy can be converted into other energy forms to generate power through the use of devices called solar panels. Solar panels are multi-purpose because they can be used to generate electricity, heat and for domestic purposes such as heating home water.

“Solar panels are the same devices that brought power to Barangay Dalag in Marilog District,” Zozobrado said. The project, which was spearheaded by the Yamog non government organization, USAID and Davao Light Power Corporation (which provided the solar panels), has provided power to 30 households and two street lighting facilities in Marilog.

If this was done in Marilog, she said, then there is a possibility of doing this for some if not all parts of Davao City. “We can get feedback from Mersin City as to how they made the installation of solar panels in all buildings possible,” she added.

Zozobrado said they are already taking the initial steps to initiate the forging of a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City and hopes to ink something soon,