ANEC - (Affiliated Non-Conventional Energy Center) of Cebu City is one of the 20 all over the country. Established by the Department of Energy, its activities include promotion and commercialization of renewable resources as well as installation of new energy systems and maintaining old ones. Renewable resources (such as the sun, wind, water, and even plant and animal wastes) are being harnessed to provide electricity, fuel, water and other energy sources to unelectrified barangays, as well as to homes and certain industries.

In Cebu, energy systems that they have installed derive their power from the sun, water, and bio-mass. The type of terrain Cebu has (the presence of mountains) hinders the use of wind energy.

ANEC started in 1987, and has established 23 bio-gas systems, 9 broilers, 68 oven/kiln furnaces, 25 cookstoves, 74 solar dryers, 94 photovoltaics, 10 wind pumps and one micro-hydro facility in the provinces of Cebu and Bohol.

The Pangan-an Island Solar Electrification Program which is said to provide electricity to 250 households in the island. The project is funded by a P20 million grant from the Belgian government and is assisted by the Department of Energy, Lapulapu City, Cebu Electric Cooperative (CEBECO) and ANEC.

The high initial cost, the need for support from private and government sectors, and the maintenance of the systems may be a drawback. However, many households and communities have gained by harnessing renewable energy sources.

From home lighting and street lighting systems, solar battery chargers enable the community people to save time, effort and charging cost, while the installation of water pumps has made it easier for residents in mountain areas to fetch water.

Communities and homes, industries also gain from harnessing renewable energy sources. Beach resorts and other leisure centers in unelectrified barangays can make use of solar panels and water pumps to provide amenities to their customers.

Biomass systems can be used as fuel for broilers instead of buying imported oil. For those who are into livelihood production, they can make use of the animal wastes (through the installation of a bio-gas digester) as cooking gas.

ANEC’s Area-Based Plan for Cebu Province 1995-2000 has identified potential areas for the installation of energy systems, based on the type of energy resources abundant in the area. For biomass production, prioritized areas are those with large quantities of biomass from coconut, corn, rice, and fuelwood. These areas are Toledo, Argao, Carcar, Sibonga, Pinamungahan, Aloguinsan, Ginatilan, Samboan, Barili, Balamban, Tuburan, Asturias, Bantayan, San Francisco, Compostela, and Danao City.

Biogas production is a priority in areas where there is an abundance of animal wastes, such as Bantayan, Compostela, Consolacion, Mandaue City, Talisay, Argao, Dumanjug, Santander, Naga and Sibonga.

For micro-hydro energy sources, potential areas include Binukot River in Balamban, Argao River, Basak Spring and Kawasan Falls in Badian, Tapon River in Dalaguete, Mainit Spring in Malabuyoc, Natimao-an Spring in Carmen.