One of the motivations of deploying renewable energy is its promise to reduce emissions. The accounting of emissions, however, becomes challenging and complex in the case of grid-tied PV system as it also derives energy from the centralized grid where the energy comes from a mix of resource. The amount of avoided emissions is highly variable. The study focused on the determination of avoided emissions resulting from grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) generation of Ateneo de Davao University Jacinto Campus in the Philippines. The results show that the small size of PV systems impacts only the marginal generating plant which is normally a hydro, diesel or natural gas-fired generator and largely depends on which grid the consumer is located. It shows that the energy generation of the PV acts like a peak shaving mechanism that reduces the system load. The solar PV of the university was simulated and the avoided emissions (CO2, SO2, NOx, PM10, PM2.5, NH3, VOCs, and Hg) were quantified through energy-based approach.

Bromelain, a valuable protease present in all parts of the pineapple fruit, was previously shown to be separated from pineapple juice and protected by complexation with polyphenols. This study aimed to establish a simple, low-cost procedure for the collection of solids with bromelain using industrial pineapple waste and polyphenols extracted from cashew leaf. An alternative method was introduced that allows for solids that have higher protease activities from pineapple core and pulp to be obtained from pineapple extract compared to typical extraction and purification methods. Using this modified method, solids were obtained from pineapple waste with the following protease activities: 5343 CDU/g (core), 5147 CDU/g (peel), and 5732 CDU/g (pulp). Given the simplicity and low cost of the procedure, this method can be of benefit to smaller pineapple producers who could profit from obtaining an otherwise expensive material using their production’s waste.

Catbalogan Sky City Mega Project (CSCMP) is a climate-change (CC) adaptation strategy proposed after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines in November 2013. It is currently being built on top of a hill about 120m from sea level to avoid the impact of storm surges, sea-level rise, and flooding. With the city’s continued expansion, water demand further worsens the supply gap. This study focused on determining the carbon footprint of the proposed water supply scarcity solution. This solution includes the construction of a reservoir to receive runoff water from the watershed where the CSCMP is located. Results of the study show that the reservoir can supply the water requirement for the entire city. However, the carbon footprint of the recommended solution is between 123% and 557% due to water treatment of heavily contaminated runoff water and the power consumption in distributing water to higher elevations. There is a need for the city to design a harvesting system that will reduce the need for more intense water treatment (i.e., reducing exposure of runoff water to contaminants) and the use of renewable energy in powering pumps and other treatment activities.

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