EVSU Students Create Solar-hydro System for Leyte Village

Posted on May 19, 2026 at 10:09 pm

TACLOBAN CITY — Graduating engineering students have successfully implemented a hybrid renewable energy system that now provides power to streetlights in a farming community in Barangay Socsocon, Leyte.

The innovative system, developed by students from Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), combines solar energy and hydropower from a small irrigation canal. It harnesses approximately 70 percent of its energy from solar panels and 30 percent from a mini-hydro turbine utilizing the constant flow of irrigation water without disrupting agricultural activities.

Currently, the system operates five streetlights along a farm-to-market road, generating around 235 watts of electricity, sufficient to illuminate the area for up to 10 hours.

Ey-Ar Udtuhan, the project leader, emphasized the importance of lighting the area due to the darkness at night, which poses safety hazards to residents.

The project, titled Hybrid System Using Solar-Hydro for Sustainable Street Lights, was a collaborative effort of Udtuhan and his fellow electrical engineering students Aron Kyle Cabodil, Marlon Rey Caharop, and John Russel Geroy.

With a total cost of P60,000, the system was officially handed over to Barangay Socsocon on Friday. Barangay Chairman Jeboy Nobe expressed gratitude for the project, highlighting its contribution to enhancing safety in the area and promoting the adoption of renewable energy technologies at the local level.

Officials from EVSU’s School of Engineering commended the project as a testament to the university’s commitment to community-driven research with tangible benefits for local residents.