The ERC of the Philippines has issued amended rules for the country’s net-metering program.

The changes require distribution utilities to publish detailed program information on their websites, including application forms, processes, and quarterly posting of capacities on a per-distribution-transformer basis.

Another amendment allows banking and rollover of net-metering credits toward a qualified end user's electricity usage for current and future bills. Users can also transfer credits to a new owner if a property changes hands, subject to a letter from the original owner.

The new rules make renewable energy certificate meters voluntary rather than mandatory. Without a certificate, the energy generated will be calculated using a formula determined by the net-metering rules.

ERC says the changes are designed to strengthen consumer protection and make it easier for qualified end users to adopt the program.

Speaking to the Philippine News Agency, ERC Chairperson Francis Saturnino Juan said distribution utilities should only require “very limited, three or four requirements” to make the program easier for end users to adopt.

Juan added that requirements should be uniform across utilities, noting this is one reason net-metering processes remain slow. “We will have an information, education, and communication campaign so that throughout the Philippines, our distribution utilities would know that they should be already processing their net-metering applications in the shortest possible time,” he said.

The Philippines net-metering program, in place since 2013, covers installations up to 100 kW. Any unused electricity is exported to the distribution utility, which provides a peso credit deducted from the user’s electricity bill.

As of May, 17,175 electricity users were registered under the program with an aggregate installed capacity of 157 MW, according to the Department of Energy.

The Philippines fourth renewables auction procured 9.4 GW of solar, wind, and storage projects earlier this month, short of the 10.6 GW target.