The net metering program of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) continues to see a seven percent increase in installations due to the lower cost of electricity and solar panels, a Meralco official said.

Meralco’s Renewable Program Management specialist Anna Maria Reodica said in 2013, Meralco had one customer under the net metering program, which increases to 200 by the end of 2015. As of May, there are over 392 customers with rooftop installations that generate an average of four kilowatts (kW).

“In the past few months, we saw a seven percent month to month increase in installations. You can see that the trend is going up and this means the net metering program is consistently growing,” she said.

Through the net metering program, consumers with renewable energy installations that don’t exceed 100 kW can sell the excess of what they generate to their distribution utility (DU).

“There are customers who are exporting because its beyond their requirements. For example, no one is at home, solar panels continue to generate power so it is fed into the Meralco network and they are compensated for that,”  Reodica said.

“There are several factors like the price of electricity and the cost of the solar photovoltaic PV system,” she said. “It could be economic but there are also other factors driving.”

The company is planning to branch out to Laguna and Bulacan through the net metering program.