The Department of Energy (DOE), via its Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB), will be issuing guidelines that shall govern the installations of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at government-owned entities.

In a draft Circular issued by the energy department, it stipulated that it will be issuing the guidelines “for the effective administration of the obligations of solar PV installers – including the procedure for the monitoring, verification and enforcement.”

The DOE assured that the final policy enforcement for this set of players in the industry will only be firmed up and executed upon completion of public consultations with the relevant stakeholders.

Concomitant to the issuance of policy, the DOE-EUMB further indicated that it shall “develop and manage a centralized database that will provide the list of all solar PV installers,” that in turn will be recommended to the government-owned buildings and entities opting for solar adoption.

The inclusion of solar installers in the official list, according to the DOE, “shall be valid upon the issuance of a certificate,” with the required eligibility documents.

The solar PV certificate shall be valid for three years from the date of issuance, unless earlier suspended on valid grounds. Renewal of the certificate must also be done at least 30 days prior to its expiration.

The shift of the State-owned facilities to solar on their energy usage is being aligned as an ‘energy efficiency’ strategy that is in line with the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) as prescribed under Republic Act 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act.

The GEMP, in particular, covers all government entities– including all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and their branches, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), local government units (LGUs) as well as state colleges and universities.

As specified by the DOE, a solar PV installer “must have a trained professional and with at least three years of continuous hands-on experience in the installation, operation, maintenance and commissioning of solar PV system,” and that must come with corresponding proof to be submitted to the department.

For the DOE-registered energy service companies (ESCOs) that are already catering to the energy efficiency management and retrofit of clients, it was emphasized that they “will no longer be required to register for certification.”

Any violations committed by certified solar PV installers shall likewise be meted with warranted fines and penalties depending on their culpabilities and the degree of such offenses.