What if within every piece of waste lies the spark that could power the cleaner, more sustainable energy future we earnestly hope to achieve?
The Energy Innovations Summit 2025, held from 8 to 9 October at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, brought together brilliant minds from the energy sectors, industry researchers, stakeholders, faculty members, and students in a two-day exchange of engaging discussions on innovative solutions to explore one powerful idea: turning waste into clean, sustainable energy.
Spearheaded by the XU College of Engineering through its Green BioH2E R&D Laboratory, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology – Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) and its Fuel Cell R&D and Testing Center, and the Department of Energy – Energy Utilization Management Bureau (DOE-EUMB) and its Alternative Fuels and Energy Technologies Division (AFETD), the summit was more than an academic milestone; it was a call to action for a shift in the perspective.
Fuel Cell Stack Integration Process with Hands-on Workshop & Operation of Small-Scale PEM Fuel Cell Stacks
with Techno Demo | DOST-ITDI Fuel Cell R&D and Testing Center
With the theme “From Waste to Watts: Powering a Circular Future with Clean Energy Innovation,” speakers from DOE-EUMB-AFETD, Engr Lianne Bea Y Jaca, Mr Niceto P Trinidad Jr, and Ms Anne Manette D Jimenez offered insights into the nation’s roadmap for hydrogen development and the role of alternative fuels in achieving energy resilience. Through the hands-on demonstrations led by DOST-ITDI experts’ Dr Ronaldo P Parreño Jr, Engr Rica Glen C Marchan, Ms Jo Maria J Opeña, and Mr Jowin L Rama, participants didn’t just learn about science – they experienced it. From fundamentals and performance testing to stack integration and live demonstrations of small-scale PEM systems, these sessions showcased how cutting-edge science can move beyond the lab to shape the everyday energy landscape. Each session challenged participants to see energy not as a resource to be depleted but as a cycle to be renewed, waste not as an obstacle but as an opportunity.
On the other hand, pioneering projects like SWEEP CDOC (led by Dr Maria Theresa I Cabaraban) and the Green BioH2E R&D Laboratory (led by Dr Shierlyn S Paclijan) allowed the participants to discover how innovation and accountability can turn challenges into opportunities.
Every conversation invited us to rethink our role in the energy equation. A quiet yet steady reminder that true innovation lies not just in technology, but in transforming how we think, live, and care for our common home.
From Left to Right: Mr Jowin L Rama (DOST-ITDI), Engr Rica Glen C Marchan (DOST-ITDI), Mr Niceto P Trinidad Jr (DOE-EUMB-AFETD),
Ms Anne Manette D Jimenez (DOE-EUMB-AFETD), Engr Lianne Bea Y Jaca (DOE-EUMB-AFETD), Ms Jo Maria J Opeña (DOST-ITDI),
Dr Ronaldo P Parreño Jr (DOST-ITDI), Dr Shierlyn S Paclijan (Project Head, Green BioH2E R&D Laboratory), Dr Maria Theresa I
Cabaraban (Project Head, SWEEP CDOC), Engr Duane Jiovani Moriss B Ombiga (Project Staff), Ms Hazel Ann C Villamar
(Laboratory Technician), Engr John Paul B Oclarit (Project Staff), Ms Pamela Mae L Ucab (Project Staff)