Is It Time to Switch to Solar? Here’s What Homeowners Should Know

(SPOT.ph) Solar used to sound like a major home upgrade—the kind of thing you considered only if you had extra cash, a big roof, and the patience to deal with installation. But with electricity rates staying high, the idea is sounding a lot more practical for many homeowners. Will switching actually make the monthly bill lighter?

Residential electricity rates in the Philippines are at around P14.35 per kilowatt-hour as of early 2026, according to figures cited by solar financing company SunFund. That puts the country among the most expensive power markets in Southeast Asia—about twice Thailand’s rate and four times Malaysia’s—with only Singapore ranking higher in the region. Filipino households are paying more than 250% above the Asian average.

SunFund gives another clear example: a household using 300 kWh per month would spend around P4,305 before other charges. At 500 kWh, that climbs to around P7,175. The higher your usage, the more exposed you are to rate increases.

That’s why rooftop solar is getting more attention from homeowners. It will not automatically erase your electric bill, but it can reduce how much power you buy from the grid during the day. Since launching in 2023, SunFund claims its clients have collectively saved over P1 million a month in electricity expenses. The figure comes from reduced grid consumption across its customer base, though actual savings still depend on household use, system size, and local utility rates.

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Setups like SunFund make solar easier to get into by removing the upfront cost and turning it into monthly payments. However, that also means you’re not exactly “saving” right away—you’re taking on a new fixed expense. That said, homeowners considering solar should start with one basic question: will you save more than you pay every month?

To figure that out, the process usually starts with a site check—looking at your roof, your past bills, and how much power your household actually uses. From there, you’re given a proposed system size and a monthly plan, with approval subject to a credit check. Companies like SunFund typically offer this initial assessment for free, so you can see the numbers before deciding.

Before signing anything, though, ask for the actual breakdown: how much power the system is expected to produce, how much you could save, how much you’ll pay every month, and what’s included in the plan. Make sure to also ask who handles maintenance, when you’ll own the system, and what happens if you want to pay it off early.

Whether solar makes sense comes down to how your home uses electricity. Sunfund said it tends to work better if your bill is consistently high, your roof gets steady sunlight, and you’re using a lot of power during the day—air-conditioning, plugged appliances, work-from-home setups, the usual suspects. Alternatively, if your bill is low, your roof is shaded, or most of your usage happens at night, then the savings may not be big enough to justify the monthly payments.

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