Engr. Romer Sanchez
“As the technology for solar [power] gets better and better, this form of clean, renewable energy will find more applications that take up less space and produce more electricity to meet our energy needs. With the right regulations, solar power will get a significant share in the country’s energy mix in the next 10 years.” Such is the forecast of one of the leading minds in the renewable energy industry, Engr. Romer Sanchez.
Engr. Sanchez has worked with various companies both in the Philippines and abroad. For the past 8 years, he built his knowledge in renewable energy, focusing on providing the right mix of energy sources to help conserve the environment, decreasing
the dependencies on fossil-fired electricity sources, and making renewable energy marketable and profitable. He has contributed to the completion of several multi-million dollar solar projects in the Philippines. One of his biggest accomplishments is being in the team that implemented four solar plant projects in various locations in the Philippines, all of which are Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) eligible: Ormoc 30MWp in Leyte, Cadiz 132.5MWp in Negros Occidental, Currimao 20MWp in Ilocos Norte, and Kibawe 10.5MWp in Bukidnon. The Cadiz plant alone is one of the largest ground-mounted solar projects in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
Even in high school, Engr. Sanchez knew that he wanted to take engineering. He has always been adept in math and science, and he loves the challenge of trying different approaches to solve difficult problems. He decided to pursue electrical engineering in UPLB, where he aced his exams and developed his critical thinking and reasoning skills.
These experiences gave him the confidence to face challenges both at work and in life. To students who would like to follow in his footsteps, Engr. Sanchez says, “Never stop being ambitious, and support this ambition with grit and energy: Ambition to keep you inspired, grit and energy to keep you going.” He sincerely believes in the merit of constantly growing. “An engineering career is a work in progress,” he says. “It is something one has to continuously develop through experience and real-life applications. The road ahead could get bumpy but the rewards of the hard work will all be worth it. The engineering field offers non-stop and ever-changing challenges, lots of opportunities to prove one’s skills, and never-ending career opportunities.”
The DEE Featured Alumni series is a series of articles that showcase the successes and accomplishments of the many BSEE alumni from UPLB. | Aryan Paula Manalo, January 2022