DOE rolls out solar plan for off-grid homes, schools

The Department of Energy (DOE) is accelerating efforts to achieve full household electrification by expanding solar and microgrid solutions, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s renewed call during his 2025 State of the Nation Address.

Targeting the nation’s most remote and underserved communities, the DOE will initiate a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) to designate Microgrid System Providers for approximately 12,000 households in Quezon, Camarines Norte, Palawan, Masbate, Samar, Negros Occidental, and Zamboanga del Sur.

“These microgrid systems, each equipped with self-contained power generation units and localized distribution networks, are designed to provide reliable and sustainable electricity in areas that existing distribution utilities (DUs) and electric cooperatives (ECs) can no longer reach,” the DOE said in a statement.

The initiative complements broader electrification efforts by targeting 2.018 million additional households already within DU and EC coverage areas.

To expedite connections—especially for indigent and low-income consumers—the DOE and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) are coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to simplify permitting processes and explore the waiving of related local fees.

For households completely unreachable by existing power lines, the government will deploy solar home systems (SHS), each capable of powering four LED bulbs, a radio, and mobile phone chargers.

NEA plans to energize 100,000 households through SHS by the first quarter of 2026, with early procurement underway for 54,000 more systems for delivery the same year—bringing the total target to 154,000 SHS installations.

The SHS units will be fully subsidized, with households only responsible for ongoing operation and maintenance costs.

To help DUs finance their electrification responsibilities, the DOE encouraged the use of PHP 1.5 billion available under the Energy Regulations 1-94 Electrification Funds.

In parallel, the DOE and NEA are working with the Department of Education (DepEd) to solarize 295 “last-mile” schools through DepEd’s PHP 1.295 billion 2025 budget allocation.

Each school installation will support essential digital learning tools such as tablets and televisions.

As of December 2024, the country’s household electrification rate reached 94.75%, or approximately 27.9 million households.

Roughly 3.08 million households still need to be connected to meet the national target of 100% electrification by 2028.

“The DOE, guided by the President’s clear call for universal energy access, remains steadfast in its mission to achieve 100% household electrification, ensuring that no Filipino household, school, or community is left in the dark,” the agency said.