DOE drafts registration rules for solar PV system vendors

MANILA, Philippines  —The Department of Energy (DOE) will soon require solar photovoltaic (PV) system installers to officially register with the agency to further encourage renewable energy use at government offices while also protecting them from fraudulent suppliers.

Under the DOE’s draft circular posted last week, service providers must have completed at least three solar projects in the past three years to qualify for a certificate of inclusion in the official registry.

Apart from this, applicants also need to submit documents as proof of previously completed projects involving the installation, operation, maintenance and commissioning of solar PV systems.

READ: Solar panel installers urged to register with DOE

The DOE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau is tasked with developing the official list of registered installers. Only those included in this list will be recommended to government entities seeking solar PV installation services, the DOE said.

Violations, penalties

The agency first announced the creation of a solar PV registry in August last year, saying that it would serve as a reference and guide for all government offices seeking to install solar panels at their facilities.

Under the DOE’s proposed guidelines that are currently up for further comments, the certificate of inclusion will be valid for a three-year period and subject to renewal.

The DOE likewise prohibits: “willfully failing” to agree to an onsite inspection; providing “false or misleading” information; and failing to provide “quality work” based on “acceptable industry standards.”

Committing any of these prohibited acts will result in a P100,000 penalty for the first offense, P500,000 for the second offense and P1,000,000 for the third offense.

Third-time offenders will also be removed from the solar PV registry. The DOE did not specify whether they would be still be allowed to renew their certification.

Cut in electricity consumption

Under Republic Act No. 11285, or the Energy Efficiency Act, government offices are mandated to reduce their monthly electricity consumption through the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP).

READ: Energy program can ring up P2B in savings

The DOE last month said the government had logged P300 million in energy savings—equivalent to 30 million kilowatt-hours—in 2023 due to the implementation of the GEMP.

President Marcos also issued Executive Order No. 15 in January and directed all government agencies to accelerate their energy efficiency measures.

The P300-million annual savings, calculated based on energy audits of 1,210 government offices, could balloon to P2 billion if all 8,000 identified entities would comply with Mr. Marcos’ order, the DOE said. INQ