Manila, June 25 -- More households are expected to utilize renewable energy once the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) releases the rules on rooftop solar projects, likely in the third quarter, a Department of Energy (DOE) official said Wednesday.

"Once ERC releases rules on rooftop solar, the investments are expected to increase," Energy Undersecretary Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara said in a briefing.

In an interview, Guevara said a check using satellite shows that a very small portion of buildings in the Philippines have solar rooftop power sources.

"Our dream is to be like Australia," she said, citing the Philippines has a bigger population, estimated at around 118 million in 2024, compared to Australia, which is placed to be around ...