With the dynamic changes in technology and the growth of new cities, the call for solutions in meeting the energy challenge has gone global. It has become a growing concern that Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, has established Go Green in the City to involve the youth in contributing to the development of environmentally friendly and sustainable energy technologies.
Through Schneider Electric’s Go Green in the City, a global business case competition, students have a chance to share their innovative energy management ideas and solutions to the country and the rest of the world. The international competition aims to involve the younger generation in the current global energy situation that has impacted everyone. Not only can the participants bring to light their creative energy innovations, they also stand to learn from the ideas of other students from around the world and get a chance to have their innovation awarded by Schneider Electric.
“In our mission to help people make the most out of their energy, Schneider Electric tapped the most creative and energetic source of ideas—the youth,” said Claude Mazallon, Schneider Philippines Country President. “The youth of the world are now more involved in global concerns, such as energy, and we’d love to hear their thoughts on it. Their ingenuity will definitely help address energy concerns of today and of the future,” he continued.
Three teams, each from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV), and De La Salle University (DLSU), made it to the country finals, which was recently, held at the F1 Bestwestern Hotel in Taguig City.
The teams presented their ideas to a panel of expert judges, which included Mr. Claude Mazallon, Philippines Climate Change Commissioner and former Senator Heherson Alvarez, Oracle Managing Director Mina Lim and Tamoin Industrial Services Corporation (TISCO) Technical Manager Pablo Alvarez.
In 2013, the Philippines became the Go Green in the City Grand Champions, where two Electronics and Communications Engineers from Ateneo De Manila University won. The 2013 Champions won over the International panel of judges with their entry, the Oscillohump. The device is hidden under speed bumps and absorbs and stores the energy of passing vehicles, which can be used to power LED streetlamps, traffic lights, and CCTV devices. Any excess energy it harvests can then be diverted to the main power grid.
“When the Philippines won the 2013 competition in France, we anticipated that more Filipino students will be more inspired to come up with solutions to the energy challenge—a challenge that the Philippines is currently experiencing with the rising energy demand fueled by its economic growth,” Mr. Mazallon said. “True enough, this shows that the Filipino youth wants to be involved in providing innovative solutions which is why we received more submissions this year than ever before. We have high hopes that Philippines can become two-time Grand Champions,” he enthused.
John Paul Santos and Christian Santaromana of the PUP prevailed over the other teams with their Electrifilter. The device produces electricity as it filters waste water, turning it into clean and potable water. “We believe that the Electrifilter will be very useful in the Philippines,” Santos said. “Being able to treat waste water while producing energy to power small devices will be very useful in times of calamities,” he enthused.
The pair received P100,000.00 and will be given training by a Schneider Electric mentor before representing the Philippines in the East Asia Regional Finals. The Regional Finalists will then vie as one of the twelve global competitors and present their ideas at the Go Green in the City Grand Finals in Paris, France in June 2015.
To find out more about Go Green in the City and Schneider Electric Philippines, please visit their official Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/GoGreenInTheCityor Schneider’s official website at www.schneider-electric.com.ph.