TLDR: Solar is great for back-up power and to regulate volgage for your appliances. But as a monetary investment not so much. If I had to do it all over, I wouldn’t apply for net-metering and hire actual practicing engineers to set up a solar+battery system.
At the time of writing, I spent PHP12,000 in fees for the application for net metering which breaks down to (figures are rounded up for simplicity):
- PHP800 – This is for the fire department which will conduct an on site inspection, then provide you with a compliance certificate should you pass.
- PHP7,200 -After securing the permit from the fire department, this amount is paid for Municipal fees. This is a tax bracket amount based off of your billable materials which is labeled as contractor’s business tax… And yes, you still need to pay even if you installed it yourself.
- PHP2,000 – This is initially paid to PELCO II for an initial on site inspection and a separate technical inspection.
- PHP2,000 – This is paid to PELCO II again after passing both inspections, which is a precedent to having a REC (Renewable Energy Certificate) meter installed.
Shopping around, there are people who will facilitate this for you along with the other requirements for the small fee of PHP35,000. I initially thought we could do it for less by doing it ourselves after inquiring about the fees… I was only kidding myself.
I ended up spending close to if not more than PHP35,000 just to be compliant with the LGU (Local Government Unit) and PELCO II. The most cumbersome requirement is a signed and sealed electrical diagnosis.
I also had to source materials and laborers to install an additional meter base and cut-off switch as specified by PELCO II which was an additional head-ache not to mention cost. Normally this is done by your contractor assuming they have experience and are familiar enough with the LGU and utility provider to be compliant… The one I chose wasn’t.
The entire process took us 3 months, which was fast; it usually takes 1 year according to our neighbors and contractors we talked to. I ‘d say we were fortunate but that would just be being thankful for mediocrity.