Philippines solar boom grows on high bills, cheap panels

The Philippines is seeing a rooftop solar boom as high electricity bills, cheaper Chinese panels and concerns about outages push households and businesses to install systems.

The government has set a target of 35 percent renewable energy in the power mix by 2030, but industry figures described the current surge as mainly driven by consumers and companies rather than by central planning.

Ember, a global energy think tank, said the Philippines this year became China's number two buyer of solar panels. It estimated that rooftop installations in the country of 116 million people had nearly doubled since early 2025.

Chinese customs data reviewed by AFP showed China exported $13.96 billion worth of solar cells and panels from January through May, up 26 percent from $11.07 billion in the same period last year. Southeast Asian countries accounted for much of the growth.

Philippine businesses are also expanding rooftop solar. SM Investments Corp president and CEO Frederic DyBuncio said more than 200,000 panels now supply about half of the energy mix at SM Group shopping centres.

Industry groups said barriers remain. Brenda Valerio, country director for New Energy Nexus, said a typical household system could cost about $3,000 to $5,000, which she called too much for many middle-class families without financing. She said approvals for metering and grid connection, intended to take 10 days, can take up to eight months in some areas.