August 28, 2025, Sta. Rosa — As the Philippines races to meet its 35% renewable energy target by 2030, solar industry leaders said regional support for clean energy innovation will be critical in translating national renewable energy targets into on-ground adoption.

This was highlighted through back-to-back Solar Community Meetups hosted by New Energy Nexus Philippines in Cebu City and Sta. Rosa, Laguna, on August 20 and 28, respectively. Both events convened key government officials, utilities, financiers, and solar entrepreneurs.

Consisting of panel and breakout discussions among the participating stakeholders, the Solar Community Meetup not only surfaced challenges in both Central Visayas and CALABARZON, but also brought out insights and solutions to address these gaps.

“By connecting solar entrepreneurs with potential clients, facilitating dialogues between LGUs and utilities, and offering capacity-building programs tailored to local needs, we’re ensuring that solar adoption doesn’t happen in silos. Instead, it’s driven by a collaborative ecosystem where innovation, financing, and policy support move in sync. That’s the unique role New Energy Nexus fills,” said Jacob Taguinod, Partnerships Manager at New Energy Nexus Philippines.

The two regions have made significant progress in solar adoption, from Cebu hosting the country’s first floating solar project to CALABARZON rapidly scaling rooftop installations across factories, malls, and municipal buildings. However, this momentum is slowed by common challenges: cumbersome net metering processes, supply chain constraints, and consumer concerns over unaccredited installers.

Reforms are starting to take shape. Cebu officials are committing to streamlined permitting, while in CALABARZON, MERALCO has begun improving interconnection procedures.

“One of our priorities at the DOE is to ensure that national renewable energy policies are effectively implemented at the local level. In regions like CALABARZON, this means working closely with LGUs to strengthen permitting guidelines, and with utilities to make net metering more accessible,” said Edward V. Neri, OIC-Division Chief at the Department of Energy – Solar Energy Management Division.

“We are committed to making the interconnection process simpler and clearer for our customers who want to adopt solar. Through initiatives like net metering and distributed energy resources (DER), we aim to empower consumers to become prosumers while ensuring that every installation is safe, reliable, stable, and sustainable for the grid. By working hand-in-hand with local governments, solar installers, and industry partners, we can accelerate rooftop solar adoption across CALABARZON,” said Engr. Botany KC Anne Sevilleja-Briones, Executive Assistant to the Chief Revenue Officer at MERALCO.

“To make the solar adoption easier, Cebu City will ensure, with the new administration, that the Office of the Building Official streamlines net metering requirements by minimizing red tape,” said Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera. “Cebuanos should expect changes that will make the process faster and simpler, with more incentives for those who choose renewable energy.”

Civil society groups such as the Clean Energy Advocates Association of the Philippines (CEAAPI), which was formed as a result of previous Solar Community Meetups, and the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA) are also pushing to raise industry standards and build consumer confidence.

Meanwhile, solar installers highlighted that stronger policy support at both the national and regional levels is critical to accelerating adoption.

“Beyond financing and market competition, installers face challenges from unclear or inconsistent implementation of standards. Stronger national and regional policies that enforce safety and quality, while supporting accredited practitioners, will raise industry standards and protect the installers and consumers,” said Bernard Torralba, Owner of Solar Hyperion, a solar installation company.

New Energy Nexus builds ecosystems that enable clean energy entrepreneurs, including those in the solar business, to scale their solutions in the Philippines and beyond. The Solar Community Meetups are part of its ongoing programs backing the country’s solar industry — more information can be found here.