Group lobbies for Philippine solar-grid interconnection protocol

The Philippine Solar Power Alliance has been lobbying for interconnection protocol to govern net metering for the import and export of capacity to and from the grid. 

The group is asking for the Energy Regulatory Commission's immediate approval, saying that “a smooth interconnection protocol between solar and the grid empowers consumers to go back and forth in their use of electricity.”

The protocol will allow end-users with embedded generation to sell their excess capacity to the grid and buy from it at times that their facilities are not generating.

PSPA spokesperson Tetchi Cruz-Capellan illustrated that for those with solar rooftop installations, for instance, end-users would be able to generate their own electricity supply during daytime and then they will switch back to the grid or draw their power from the distribution utilities starting sundown at 6pm.

But she admitted that since the interconnection of these so-called distribution generation facilities remain an esoteric concept for the domestic power industry, it is still a challenge on how to tackle the technical hurdles of the system.

“The major barrier to massive solar rooftop installation is the interconnection rule…government has to do its part in enabling distributed energy systems to flourish and become available to consumers seeking viable ways to reduce their spending on electricity,” Capellan stressed.

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