I was surprised upon receiving our electric bill the other day. I heard from the news that it will go up this month but I didn’t expect it to be that high. Based on a leaflet that is included in our electric bill, it increased by P0.71 ($0.17) per kilowatt hour. Almost 76% of the increase is for the generation charge. The rest is for transmission, taxes, subsidy and system loss. According to the electric company, the generation charge is for the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and National Power Corporation (NPC).
The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) is the country’s spot market for the trading of electricity as a commodity. The National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) is the principal power provider in Metropolitan Manila Area while the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), are the ones generating electric power for sale to utilities and end users. Understanding the roles of these companies, the electric bill components and the existing regulatory framework of the country’s power industry gives me headache. Though an ordinary citizen like me cannot understand deeper the complicated framework, one thing is for sure…our electric bill is soaring high and we need effective ways to cut bills. Now I understand why my husband wants to resort to solar panels. According to him it is the best solution in this time that the economy is at an extraordinary fragile point. So what are solar panels?
Solar panels NC are devices that take the light of the sun and convert it into energy. They are usually placed on the roof of the house or building and are used to generate electricity to power appliances. It is best suitable for homes most especially in a tropical country like ours where the sun, a free and clean source of energy, is shining all day. Use of solar panels can help protect the environment by reducing the need to burn fossil fuels. And because solar panels use solar energy which is a natural form of energy, they don’t give off pollution while generating electricity thus we can keep our environment in good shape. The sun may not show up on cloudy or stormy days but you don’t need to worry as it will show up the very next day, making it a consistent power source for the solar panels.
Solar panels are available in different sizes so the price varies widely. If there is one disadvantage in solar panels, it is when you buy it the first time. However, the initial cost is a small price to pay compared to the savings you could make over the years. Yes, years! It is because solar panels can last a lifetime. Hubby makes sense. We need solar panels for solar savings plus we don’t need to brainstorm understanding the electric bill components and the existing regulatory framework of the country’s power industry.
30 replies on “Solar Panels for Solar Savings”
Hmmm.. this got me thinking. Seems like I’d like to have this in my house too. Haha!
I wish it will be used to the whole populace of the Philippines. I think it will alleviate the cost of our bill.
i see many houses here which have solar panels. I think it’s more practical since the main source of energy here is electricity. And even if you avail expensive solar panels, there is the return of investment over time.
That would really be beneficial to all. It would not only save us money, we also get to save our environment. 😉
I really love the solar panel invention but currently here in the Philippines it is very expensive. I wish can afford it one day for my home.
What company sells solar panels in the Philippines? A friend’s husband was experimenting on solar panels about 10 years ago. We really should get cracking with these things. They’re good investment. How pricey? Here’s hoping we can afford enough to power one mid-size household. Will keep this in mind.
i have to agree with you, just imagine how much we can save up on electricity bills every month if we have one of these solar panels installed in our houses? oh, i just wish i can afford to buy one! 🙂
I agree with you with potentially using and installing solar panels on your home. We’ve actually thought about it too but we were told that it may cost us a lot. Of course, the investment will return.. it’s just a matter of saving up for a few panels. I am for renewable energy since it’s something that we can utilize always. 🙂
For a tropical country like ours, every home should have one. ^_^
Yes, it could be one of best options we have today… Although I’ve heard that it is quite expensive, our inventors, scientists, government agencies etc. should work hand on hand to develop low cost solar panel materials and offer them to public.
It’ll be a good investment for home owners! Wise to make use of all possible technology to save money (in the long run!).
aw, hopefully they’ll really be cheaper someday…
planning to have one of this in philippines saves a lot of money! xx
yes, it could us and the government a lot of money.
i wish we can all install solar panels noh? Kaya lang they’re very expensive!
Oo very expensive but it’s just a small amount compared as to how much we can save in the long run.
my friend said that there is a 10k solar panel that can run your laptop
I have thought about them as well. I know that sometimes the you can get a federal rebate depending on the year you do it and if they have a program available. I have known a few people to take advantage of this and by the time they get the rebate and the savings the solar panels really paid off! I know a lot of people don’t like the way they look but it does not bother me at all. I will be reading to see if and when you do it and how they pay off for you!
How it will look on our roof won’t bother me too. What important is, we could save a lot of money that can be used to other household expenses.
I think they’d be a wise investment—right now I don’t think we are in our FOREVER home so not going to get them–but when we move -its a top MUST HAVE!
A very wise investment indeed. They may be expensive but it could be paid off in the long run with the savings you can have.
I never bother trying to understand the components of our electric bill because I don’t want to go nuts. 😀 Yes, solar panels are a great alternative source of energy. The only problem with them is that they are quite expensive.
Wonderful post! I love the solar panels and think its the best idea, but yes the cost is alot, but I guess once its installed and a couple years down the line it will pay for itself.
Thank you, Pamela. Yes, it’s expensive and we cant afford it by now. But you;re right, in just few years it will pay for itself. 🙂
My cost of electricity has also skyrocketed. It’s almost as expensive than my rent. Solar panels would be a really good option and our building adopt that as well.
It’s good to know that your building adopt solar panels. How I wish we could afford to have that too in our house sooner.
if only these solar panels were a lot cheaper, sana lahat tayo mag lagay na sa house. it’s hard when we only have one source of electricity. the electric co. tends to monopolize the service. even the government agency (napocor) can’t do anything about it.
I hope so too. I think the government will monopolize all services if given the chance. Sad but true. 🙁
I hear you. When I first saw solar panels being used in the hotel we stayed in Subic in 2007, I thought it was about time that people actually look into using that to replace our usual power supplier. But since we don’t really have access to a reliable solar panel supplier, the plan never materialized.
Yes, there are establishments in the country that are using solar panels.