Philippines Jumps On Distributed Energy Bandwagon

The Philippines joined the rapidly growing list of countries allowing consumers who generate their own electric power to sell excess supplies back to the electric grid for a reasonable price.

Last week, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the principal government agency responsible for regulating the electric grid, approved a new interconnection standard that will enable net-metering of renewable energy for customers with distributed generation.

“The net-metering program will definitely change the electricity landscape,” said Zenaida Cruz-Ducut, ERC chairwoman. “From just being recipients of electricity, electricity users may also now become generators, supplying not only their electricity requirements but also that of others through their distribution utilities’ system.”

In a net-metering arrangement, the consumer maintains a two-way connection to the distribution system and is

Consumers can generate up to 100 kilowatts of electricity from sources like solar, wind and biomass with equipment installed on their own premises. If they generate more than they can consume, they can sell the excess power supply back to their distribution utility company.

Under the new net metering rule, customers are only charged or credited, as the case may be, for the difference between the electricity they purchase from the grid and the electricity they sell back to the grid.

“It is a win-win solution, for the electricity end-user and for the environment,” said Ducut.

Source: Forbes.com

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