Net Metering in the Philippines — Sizing to the Export Cap
Net metering makes a grid-tied system worthwhile, but the credit for exported energy is worth less than the energy you avoid buying. That shapes the ideal system size.
The rules in brief
- Available to customers with renewable systems up to 100 kW.
- The utility installs a bi-directional meter; the customer is billed on net consumption.
- Exported energy is credited at the utility’s blended generation cost (the generation charge on your bill), not the full retail rate — roughly 50–60% of retail.
- Net credits carry over month to month; they offset the energy portion of future bills.
Why this favours self-consumption
Every kWh the solar system serves directly is worth the full retail rate (~₱11–13/kWh). Every kWh exported is worth only the generation charge (~₱6–7/kWh). So the best economics come from a system that mostly matches daytime load, with modest export.
Sizing implication
Going bigger still saves money, but each additional kWp returns less because more of its output is exported at the lower rate. A hybrid battery changes this by storing daytime surplus for evening use at full retail value.
Application path
- Design and get a licensed electrical engineer to sign the plans and single line diagram.
- File the net metering application with the distribution utility (e.g. Meralco) with the SLD, equipment datasheets, and electrical permit.
- Utility inspection and meter replacement.
- Commissioning and the net metering agreement.
EngEst Pro’s Solar PV Calculator sizes the array against your consumption and daytime load profile so exports stay modest, and produces the SLD and equipment schedule the net metering application needs.
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