Harnessing the power of the sun tops the list of viable sources of renewable energy today as more countries and businesses recognize solar power as environment-friendly, durable, effective, and cost-efficient.
Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the country’s largest electricity distribution utility, is now using its solar PV (photovoltaic) center to pilot the net metering system for consumers of renewable energy as mandated by the Philippine Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
Net metering allows households and businesses with small renewable energy facilities such as a solar PV panel can get credit for any surplus energy they supply to the distribution system.
“The renewable energy law requires distribution utilities to provide mechanisms for physical connection and commercial arrangements to ensure the success of the net metering program,” says Ivanna Dela Peña, Meralco first vice president and head of Regulatory Management.
Inaugurated on July 11, Meralco’s solar PV center sits atop the company’s fitness center at its Ortigas head office in Pasig City and supplies power to the fitness center lounge.
Designed and installed by leading solar power provider Green Heat Corp., the Meralco setup is a 6.16 kWp grid-tied system providing AC net of 4.43 kW AC.
“The Meralco solar power center represents the typical size of a residential installation for customers participating in the net metering program,” says Dela Peña.
Green Heat Technical Manager Roberto Martin says the “annual harvest of electricity is projected to be 6,900 kilowatt-hour or about 3.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) offset every year, an equivalent of planting 35 adult trees in a year.”
“The system can easily save at least P79,350.00 if Meralco charges about P11.50 per kilowatt hour,” says Martin.
Green Heat, which designs, installs, and maintains solar PV systems, is involved in numerous large-scale solar power projects, government’s rural electrification efforts, and roof-mounted solar panel installations for homes and offices.
The company built the first phase of the largest roof-mounted solar power installation in the country at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), providing initially 3.5 percent of total electricity needs of ADB Manila headquarters, and powered more than 600 houses in far-flung barangays.