Dali Innovations co-founder Louie Villalon announced that they are seeking $150,000 in pre-seed funding to deliver renewable energy technology to rural and off-grid communities in the Philippines.
The cleantech startup is currently developing VORTEx, a small-scale energy solution that harnesses wind to produce enough electricity to charge lamps and mobile devices. Short for Versatile & Offshore Recyclable Turbine for Exergy, VORTEx was originally designed for fishermen who use powerful lamps to help them bait fish on moonless nights. WWF’s Tuna Strategy Leader Dr. Jose Ingles described in a 2014 article that Filipino fishing boats are equipped with strong lights that produce from 2000 to 5000 watts to attract pelagic fish. These fishermen rely on diesel-powered generators to fuel their light which can be costly, especially with rising fuel prices due to inflation.
“One of the biggest problems [fishermen] have is when these batteries die in the middle of a fishing trip,” Villalon said. “They have no choice but to head back to shore without a single catch.” He added that the noise these diesel engines produce also repels potential catch.
Villalon said that VORTEx can cut down fuel expenses for fisherfolks by 30%. The turbine is designed to be attached to fishing boats for ease and convenience. Dali Innovations is also working on a bigger version of VORTEx for families and residents in fishing villages.
“[The bigger version] is enough to power the lights of 3 to 4 homes—good for about 3 to 4 families as well,” said Villalon.
Currently, Dali Innovations also is working closely with local government units of far-flung fishing villages and private companies like Save the Philippine Seas, Shell LiveWIRE Philippines, and Wevolver. All are working hard to bring VORTEx closer to completion and deliver renewable energy for off-grid communities.
The fishing industry makes a significant contribution to the Philippine national economy in terms of both income and employment. In 2015, total fish production was approximately 4.65 million metric tons, and the fisheries sector contributed about $4.33 billion to the country’s economy. The sector also employed an estimated 1.6 million people nationwide, contributing 1.5% to the gross domestic product in the same year. An FAO report stated that the Philippines ranks 8th globally in fish production and is a key economic sector for the country since 2014.
Villalon said they hope to bring VORTEx to 4,000 fishermen or 10 to 20 families in fishing villages in Batangas where he and his colleagues first conceptualized it. Other areas they’re targeting for expansion include fishing communities in Bicol, Tacloban, Mindoro, and Cagayan de Oro.
But the first customers are not necessarily fisherfolks. VORTEx caught the attention of micro and small businesses as well as an off-grid campsite in Tanay, Rizal. This gave Villalon and his team an idea to eventually add general rural communities to their plans when rolling out VORTEx.
When asked about where the funding would be used, Villalon said it will go into “completing the remaining 20% of the project.” It will be used to purchase materials and to rent DOST’s large-scale 3D printers to speed up the production. Villalon said it takes him about 28 hours to print a single portion of the turbine’s blade using smaller 3D printers, while DOST’s machines would take only 3 to 4 hours. “Increasing our manufacturing capability is the final step to bringing VORTEx to deserving communities.”