Philippines solar calculator
Size a home solar system from your Meralco bill — kW, panel count, cost with net metering, and payback.
Quick answer: At ₱12/kWh and 4.7 peak sun hours, an ₱8,000/month bill needs about 6.6 kW — 12 × 550 W panels on ~24 m². Installs run ~₱70–90 per watt, landing the system near ₱4,95,000 with a payback around 5.2 years.
Your details
Ballpark, not gospel. Sized at 78% real-world output with the Philippine sun-hour average — confirm shading, typhoon-rated mounting and your utility's net metering process with a local installer before buying.
Typical Philippine system sizes by monthly bill
| Monthly bill | System size | Panels (550 W) | Net cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₱5,000 | 3.85 kW | 7 | ₱2,88,750 | 4.8 years |
| ₱8,000 | 6.60 kW | 12 | ₱4,95,000 | 5.2 years |
| ₱12,000 | 9.35 kW | 17 | ₱7,01,250 | 4.9 years |
Computed at ₱12/kWh, 4.7 peak sun hours and ₱75/W installed with DOE net metering. Run your exact bill above.
Questions people actually ask
Straight answers, no fluff. Then run your own numbers above.
How many solar panels do I need in the Philippines?
At ₱12/kWh and 4.7 peak sun hours, an ₱8,000/month bill needs about a 6.6 kW system — roughly 12 × 550 W panels covering ~24 m² of roof.
What does residential solar cost in the Philippines in 2026?
Residential installs run ~₱70–90 per watt. A 6 kW system lands around ₱4,53,750 gross at the ₱75/W default — with no national subsidy, net cost equals gross.
What is the payback period for solar in the Philippines?
Around 5 years at Meralco rates. An ₱8,000/month bill saves ₱96,000 a year against a ₱4,95,000 net cost, paying back in ~5.2 years — high local rates do the heavy lifting.
How does net metering work in the Philippines?
Under the DOE's distributed energy resources rules, qualified end-users can export surplus power and get credited against their bill. Apply through your distribution utility before commissioning.
How much roof space does a Philippine home system need?
About 2 m² per panel including spacing. A 12-panel system needs roughly 24 m² of unshaded roof — check typhoon-rated mounting and roof anchoring with your installer.
How much CO₂ does Philippine home solar avoid?
About 0.7 kg per kWh. A 6.6 kW system generating ~8,800 kWh a year offsets roughly 6.2 tons of CO₂ annually.
Is solar worth it with Meralco's high rates?
Those high rates are exactly why the math works: at ₱12/kWh, every self-consumed kWh is worth double what it is in most markets, which compresses payback to ~5 years even without subsidies.
Do I need batteries in the Philippines?
Not for savings, but yes for typhoon-season outages — on-grid systems shut down when the grid fails. Size a hybrid inverter and battery bank on the solar system calculator.
Riding through typhoon outages needs batteries. The solar system calculator sizes your inverter and battery bank. Comparing quotes? The solar cost calculator breaks down cost per watt, and the solar ROI calculator maps your payback year by year.