Solar analysis uncovers unused potential: Largest Philippine metropolises barely utilize 1% of their rooftop solar capacity
The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) has developed a groundbreaking tool called SPECTRUM, which is set to revolutionize the rooftop solar landscape in the Philippines. This web-based solar mapping tool, utilising machine learning and multi-spectrum satellite imagery, provides a comprehensive view of existing and potential rooftop solar installations across the country.
SPECTRUM has already mapped an impressive 1,846.08 MW of rooftop solar potential, with 1,309.64 MW in Luzon, 472.48 MW in the Visayas, and 61.08 MW in Mindanao. The platform accounts for both registered and unregistered installations, filling critical data gaps that are often overlooked in official registries.
The platform's primary function is to identify and track rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, including fragmented small- to medium-scale systems. This data is invaluable for local governments, solar developers, distribution utilities, and civil society organisations, facilitating better planning, accelerating solar adoption, promoting net metering policies, and encouraging investments in renewable energy.
SPECTRUM also estimates the potential rooftop solar capacity nationwide by analysing rooftop space suitability and solar resource availability. This data-driven approach empowers authorities and the private sector to make informed decisions aligned with the Philippines’ energy transition goals, fostering transparency and climate-smart standards.
In the coming years, ICSC plans to continuously enhance SPECTRUM's performance by expanding coverage, improving AI precision, and tracking solar deployment over time. The aim is to expand SPECTRUM's coverage to up to 400 cities and municipalities, thereby enhancing the resolution and inclusiveness of solar capacity assessments.
The importance of SPECTRUM in the Philippines' energy transition cannot be overstated. As the country strives to meet its renewable energy targets, tools like SPECTRUM are expected to play a central role in accelerating the transition. The Renewable Energy Market Review 2025 by insurance company Willis Towers Watson notes that Southeast Asia must scale up renewable capacity by three to five times by 2035 to meet climate and energy targets.
With electricity demand from industry increasing by 6.6 per cent annually, rooftop solar offers a viable way to reduce dependence on the grid and lower consumer costs. The Philippines' National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP 2020-2040) calls for 35 per cent renewable energy in the power mix by 2030, and 50 per cent by 2040. Meeting the 2040 target will require over 52,800 MW of new capacity, more than half of which - 27,162 MW - is expected to come from solar.
ICSC's chief data scientist, Jephraim Manansala, believes that these unregistered capacities could still contribute significantly to renewable energy generation targets. As SPECTRUM continues to evolve and expand, it will undoubtedly play a crucial role in helping the Philippines achieve its clean energy ambitions.
- The SPECTRUM tool developed by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) utilizes science, technology, and artificial intelligence to revolutionize the rooftop solar landscape in the Philippines.
- SPECTRUM's data on existing and potential rooftop solar installations across the country contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) related to affordable and clean energy.
- The platform's data is vital for local governments, industries, civil society organizations, and solar developers, enabling them to make informed decisions about renewable energy investments and policy-and-legislation.
- The energy transition in the Philippines aims to foster transparency, climate-smart standards, and promote the growth of the renewable energy industry.
- With the aid of SPECTRUM, authorities and the private sector can estimate the potential rooftop solar capacity nationwide, ensuring alignment with the Philippines’ renewable energy targets.
- The renewable energy sector plays a significant role in addressing climate-change, as the country needs to scale up renewable capacity to meet climate and energy targets set by the Renewable Energy Market Review 2025.
- As industry electricity demand increases annually, the adoption of rooftop solar can reduce dependence on the grid, lower consumer costs, and contribute to the environmental-science and carbon reduction goals.
- The National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP 2020-2040) calls for a significant increase in renewable energy in the power mix, with solar energy expected to account for more than half of the required new capacity by 2040.
- The unregistered rooftop solar capacities identified by SPECTRUM could significantly contribute to renewable energy generation targets, accelerating the Philippines' transition towards a sustainable, clean energy future.
