P3.9 million solar-powered ice block machine inaugurated in Cebu
Miele’s latest revolutionary appliance is so smart that it can cook fish placed inside a block of ice perfectly without the ice melting. (File photo)
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) recently inaugurated a P3.9 million solar-powered ice block machine in Cebu province to help keep fish fresh.
The ice block machine located in Pilar town is designed to provide a sustainable and cost-efficient ice supply for preserving fish and other perishable goods, enabling fisherfolk to boost their productivity.
Since it is powered by solar, the machine is expected to significantly reduce operating costs and reliance on electricity while providing an eco-friendly solution for ensuring an uninterrupted ice supply.
“Building ice plants will extend the shelf life of agricultural products, especially fish,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement on Friday.
“With proper icing, fish can remain fresh for up to seven days, allowing fishermen to transport their catch to markets where demand is higher,” Tiu Laurel said.
A part of the Establishment of Agricultural and Fisheries Postharvest Facilities project, this plant can produce up to 30 ice blocks per cycle, with each block weighing 5 kilograms or a total of 150 kg per cycle.
It operates up to four times a day, featuring a stainless steel frame, dual compressors compatible with a single-phase electric motor, direct-contact cooling and an eco-friendly refrigerant.
The ice block machine is equipped with solar panels, a rack system, a hybrid inverter power plant, two sets of batteries and a water filtration system.
It also includes a container-type ice block system, a stainless steel ice block crusher, a steel-door chest freezer and plastic fish crates for storage.
During the inauguration event Wednesday, Pilar Mayor Manuel Santiago said the ice plant fisherfolk in town would significantly benefit from the ice plant, boosting fish production, particularly for bangus (milkfish) and other marine resources.
The poverty rate in Pilar, one of the four islands in the Camotes Group, nearly doubled to 45.3 percent in 2021 from 23.5 percent in 2018, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
“Beyond its fishing industry, Pilar is also home to a thriving marine park and pristine white sand beaches that attract tourists,” the DA said.
The country’s fisheries production stood at 4 million metric tons (MT) in 2024, down by 5 percent from 4.2 million MT last year, according to the statistics agency.
Decreases were recorded in marine municipal fisheries, inland municipal fisheries and aquaculture while commercial fisheries posted an increment.
