DOE net metering guidelines reviewed

By Jordeene B. Lagare April 12, 2021
https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/04/12/business/business-top/doe-net-metering-guidelines-reviewed/863064/

The Department of Energy (DoE) is soliciting inputs from industry stakeholders on the draft guidebook on the net metering program.

Net metering is a nonfiscal incentive provided under Republic Act 9513, or the “Renewable Energy Act of 2008,” which aims to promote the utilization of renewable energy (RE) in the Philippines.

Under the scheme, an electricity end-user who owns a RE facility with a capacity not exceeding 100 kilowatts can sell excess electricity to a distribution utility (DU).

Rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) is currently the popular RE technology under net metering.

But prosumers — a portmanteau of the words “producer” and “consumer” — referring to an electricity end-user who both consumes and produces electricity, can also sell electricity coming from other RE systems including wind, biomass, biogas energy systems, or run-of-river micro-hydro.

The agency’s proposed net-metering guidebook intends to provide stakeholders, particularly consumers, “an easy to read, follow and understand reference” in participating in the said scheme.

Specifically, the net-metering guide shall “present the big picture of why the government is implementing a net-metering program so that the various participants or stakeholders will appreciate the value of their contributions.”

It shall also discuss the concept of the net-metering scheme and its participants, components of a net-metering facility, steps in participating in this program, implementation arrangements between stakeholders, and procurement of solar PV facility and its components.

All interested individuals and RE stakeholders may send their comments to the Energy department until April 15.

Since its first implementation in 2013, the DoE and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) have issued policies to enhance the net-metering program. It applies only to on-grid areas in the country.

Both the DoE and the ERC previously said they were finding ways to promulgate the same mechanism to off-grid areas.