Tokyo: An official of the Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday emphasized the critical role that consumer participation plays in the government's energy transition efforts, stating that the success of these programs is measured by the benefits they provide to the public.

According to Philippines News Agency, DOE Undersecretary Mylene Capongcol highlighted several programs introduced by the Department during a panel discussion at the Philippine Energy Transition Dialogue 2025 held in Quezon City. These programs are designed to directly benefit power consumers, including the net metering program and provisions allowing consumers to choose their power supplier.

The net metering program enables power consumers to install their own renewable energy sources, primarily solar energy, to reduce their dependence on their distribution utility (DU). Excess energy generated by these solar power systems can be sent back to the grid, providing additional supply and earning consumers credits to offset their monthly bills.

Additionally, under the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) and the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), which are mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA), consumers classified as 'contestable customers'-those with an average peak demand of at least 100 kilowatts (kW) over the past 12 months-can select their power suppliers based on preferred power sources and cost-effectiveness.

Capongcol stressed the importance of consumer engagement in these initiatives to help them understand the benefits and to aid the government in crafting more effective policies for sector improvement. She pointed out that, particularly with net metering, the government seeks to track the installation of solar power sources to assess capacity and identify areas for potential development.

The DOE Undersecretary noted, "Our electric power industry is actually structured and privatized, so power consumers have a significant role through participation and support of the renewable energy or power sector development," underscoring the pivotal role of distributed energy resources and consumer empowerment in supporting the country's energy transition goals.