Bill seeks to cut red tape in solar home use
A bill seeking to ease regulatory burdens on alternative home power systems was filed on July 29 by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III.
House Bill No. 10431 removes “unnecessary barriers” that have stifled adoption of alternative power sources such as rooftop solar panels and battery storage, which Marcos said may have hindered families from shifting to solar as current rules fail to distinguish between commercial and personal use.
“If a family or business can generate and store its own electricity, the government should clear the path instead of treating them like a commercial power producer,” the majority leader said in a statement in Filipino.
The bill amends the 2001 Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) to delineate electricity generated for home consumption from power produced for commercial use. An “end-user” operating energy generation systems will not be classified as a generation company, it added.
Under the proposal, households planning to install alternative “behind‑the‑meter” systems would no longer need approval from electric distributors and will only be required to file a notice of installation.
“By removing unnecessary obstacles while preserving appropriate safety standards and regulatory oversight, this measure empowers Filipinos to take a more active role in meeting their own energy needs,” the measure’s explanatory note said.
The bill said it “promotes consumer choice, supports the country’s energy security goals, encourages the use of modern and cleaner technologies, and contributes to a more reliable and resilient electric power sector.”
The measure also bars homeowners’ associations, subdivision developers and property managers from blocking households that shift to alternative power systems, allowing only safety concerns as grounds to stop installations.
In his fifth State of the Nation Address, President Marcos urged Congress to push energy reforms, including amending the Epira law to cut system loss charges and to make installing solar panels and battery storage systems simpler and more affordable.
