MASE Power – Empowering Underserved Communities with Sustainable Energy

MASE Power Corporation (MPC), the energy holding company of MASE Holdings Inc. (MHI), was founded with the mission to empower underserved communities in the country with the introduction of sustainable sources of energy.

Creating positive transformation in underserved rural territories in the Philippines, starting with the Polillo Group of Islands, Quezon Province is the company’s current focus. Their pilot project — The Polillo Energy & AgroIndustrial Park — is a promising project that features hybridized power plants using biomass and diesel technologies, operated by Renesons Energy Polillo, Inc. (REP) and a modern coconut oil mill, operated by NYOGU Industries.

REP’s biomass power plant will utilize the island’s coconut wastes as feedstock to provide clean energy to the community. The coconut wastes will be supplied by affiliate company, NYOGU, who will purchase the coconuts directly from the local farmers.

The integrated and interdependent system of the power plants and coconut oil mill will alleviate the current livelihood practices of the local farmers. They no longer have to burn coconuts from copramaking thereby reducing CO2 emissions. It will also decrease their dependency on the exportation of local products (mostly coconuts) to the Luzon mainland since NYOGU will bring the market closer to them.

In most cases, poverty in rural areas is caused by the lack of basic utilities such as stable power, water and access. In addition, the instability of utilizing the natural resources, the lack of economic assets and the low quality of human resources also contribute to underdevelopment.

MPC’s Founder & CEO, Gerwyn P. See, understood the problem and found a solution. He believed that the introduction of a stable, scalable and sustainable source of energy, the maximization of local and natural resources and the decrease of the community’s dependence on exportation and external sources for their raw materials can greatly contribute to the island’s empowerment. MPC’s approach when entering underserved communities takes into account the sustainability of their development and its community impacts in the long term.

Mr. See’s family hails from Polillo island. He grew up appreciating its natural beauty and the hospitality of the local community but was heartbroken to see the slow development including the increase in emigration of talents from the island.

Mr. See saw the need to create change that will lead to a renewed vitality for Polillo. He shares, “There are immense opportunities everywhere. It is just a matter of bringing these opportunities from the higher concentration areas to the lower concentration areas.”

With sustainability at the heart of MPC’s mission, the Renesons Energy Polillo – Diesel Power Plant was born on May 25, 2019. The energy park is nearing its completion stage with the addition of NYOGU and the Biomass Power Plant. It is nestled in the lush greenfields of the island fronting the pacific ocean. The development boast of fruit-bearing trees, beautiful landscaped gardens with a nipa hut, a plant office with industrial interiors, low noise containerized diesel generators, and a professional and passionate team who respects the local community.

New energy projects of MASE that are under development are the Solar-Storage-Diesel power plants in neighboring islands, Jomalig and Patnanungan. Both developments will feature sustainable hybridized power solutions.

MASE Holdings, Inc., the parent company of MASE Power and Renesons Energy, was also founded by Mr. Gerwyn See.