The use of solar panels in generating electricity for households is becoming more common nowadays. Generating electricity from the sun and helping the environment is simply becoming a rising trend. Especially with large natural calamities happening, solar-powered lamps, radios, chargers and other sun-fed gadgets have become popular.

But do you know that the Visayan Electric Company (VECO), the second largest power distribution utility in the country, actually encourages the use of solar energy in powering households?

To help minimize power shortages and also promote renewable energy, VECO has been encouraging companies and households to put up solar panels for energy consumption since December 2013.

“We have the net metering program for that. VECO actually buys the excess power generated in homes that have solar panels installed,” Richard Alfafara, VECO’s Key Accounts Specialist in-charge of running the program, says.

Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid.

The company’s first net metering customer, Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival, gets P2,000 on average per month for excess electricity.

“T

o check the safety and reliability of the system, it is important for VECO to assist customers when installing the solar-powered electricity in their areas,” Alfafara reminds consumers. If you want to install solar panels and sell excess electricity, you have to contact VECO during installation.

There are currently more than 20 companies and households under VECO’s net metering program.

“Currently, Sunpride Foods, Inc. is the largest net metering consumer both in Visayas and Mindanao,” Alfafara adds.

With a 96,000 watts grid tie solar-powered system, Sunpride can actually power around 137 houses on the average.

Interestingly, there has been an estimate of 45% increase from the targeted power generation of 120,000 watts in 2015.

“More people are applying for the program with the opening of the year,” Alfafara comments.

With the positive response of consumers, VECO plans to improve the distribution system so that it can adapt to the possible increase of solar-powered system users.