Impact Spotlight
Installing 72 kW of hybrid solar across communal infrastructure on Matabas Island
Powering a cold-storage facility, evacuation center, and communal space used by 682 island residents
Training local women and fisherfolk in post-harvest processing, disaster preparedness, and solar management
About
Matabas Island, located off the coast of Sagay in the Philippines, remains unconnected to the national power grid and is not slated for electrification in the next five years. In a community of nearly 700 people whose livelihoods depend on fishing and coastal ecosystems, the lack of reliable power drives economic vulnerability, particularly for women who manage and sell the catch. Matabas has also been devastated by intensifying typhoons, with limited capacity to adapt or recover. NICE works at the intersection of climate resilience, energy access, and environmental justice to shift this reality and build systems rooted in community leadership.
“Providing light to the community means enabling connection, safety, and solidarity in the face of disaster. Our cold storage will prevent exploitation of fisherfolk, while the solarized evacuation center will save lives.”
HF Partnership
NICE’s REPower Matabas project brings decentralized, hybrid solar systems to an island that is expected to remain un-electrified for at least five more years. The 72 kW system includes solarization of the village evacuation center, a basketball court that serves as a vital communal hub, and a new cold-storage facility designed to increase fisherfolk's income and reduce dependence on exploitative trade practices. NICE will partner with local institutions to deliver training on solar maintenance, post-harvest processing, and climate adaptation—ensuring the system is community-run and locally sustained. The project directly benefits all Matabas Island residents.
In the News
