Visayan Electric urges customers to join net metering program

VISAYAN Electric Co., Inc. ( VECO) is asking customers with solar facilities within its franchise area in Cebu City to enroll in its net metering program and earn from their excess generated power, company officials said.

Anton Mari G. Perdices, VECO chief operating officer, said he is encouraging customers with existing solar technology in their homes to join the company’s net metering program, which was started in 2013.

The program is open to residential and commercial customers who have existing solar facilities with a capacity of not more than 100 kilowatts ( kW).

“This way we can install the correct metering system and they get to earn more from selling the excess power generated from their system,” he told reporters.

The scheme is the first policy mechanism under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008. Under the net metering program, customers of distribution utilities can install an on- grid renewable energy facility not exceeding 100 kW and generate electricity for their own use, while selling their excess output to the utilities.

“VECO started offering net metering in 2013 with only one customer and now we have 53 customers at net capacity is 413 kW,” said Quennie S. Bronce, manager at VECO’s reputation enhancement department.

VECO is the second largest electric distribution utility (DU) in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp. and Vivant Corp.

Of the company’s current net metering customers, seven are commercial establishments while the rest are homeowners. Its first customer has a total capacity of 3 kW.

“We have pending 17 applications for this year,” Ms. Bronce said.

VECO’s net metering program allows customers to automatically export to the utility’s distribution system any electricity generated but not consumed. The distribution utility ( DU) then gives a peso credit for the excess electricity received equivalent to the DU’s blended generation cost. The cost excludes other generation adjustments, and deducts the credits earned to the customer’s electric bill.

Aside from the opportunity to earn for excess generated power, VECO customers who want to enroll in the program will be able to acquire the correct metering system that is intended for those using solar technology.

So far, VECO’s biggest net metering customer based on capacity is Cebu- based Sunpride Foods, Inc., a meat processing company that has been in business for about 47 years.

Don Hanley T. Wong, marketing manager and third- generation member of the family-owned business, said Sunpride Foods joined the VECO’s program in 2015 with a capacity of 96 kW.

“Basically, we have around 340 panels on one side of our building,” he said about the company’s solar rooftop that helps power its slaughterhouse facility, water treatment plant and a machine shop.

“We may invest in another system for the building that we will construct in our scrap yard. Right now our production building is maxing out its capacity,” he said. “I think it would be a good investment now.”

The company’s solar rooftop produces around 15% of the slaughterhouse’s requirement, Mr. Wong said. He estimated the cost of the power facility at between P8 million and P12 million, an investment which he expects to recoup in 8 to 10 years.

Aside from savings, Mr. Wong said the decision to put up a solar facility was prompted by environmental considerations. The company produces processed meat under the Holiday and Sunpride brands, which is marketed in Visayas and Mindanao. It plans to penetrate Metro Manila. —