High bills, cheap panels drive a Philippine solar surge

The Philippines is experiencing an unprecedented rooftop solar surge, becoming a leading global spender on solar imports.

Surging electricity rates pushed up by roughly 10% to 12% following Middle East conflicts combined with the highest residential power costs in Southeast Asia and cheap global solar hardware. According to the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, only half a percent of the country's available roof space is so far equipped for solar.