Solar PV and EDL Net Metering: A Practical Guide for Lebanese Households

Lebanon's solar capacity grew several-fold between 2020 and 2023 as households and businesses installed rooftop systems to cope with EDL shortages. EDL has had a net-metering scheme on paper since Circular 32-318 in 2011.

How net metering works

A bi-directional meter tracks both what your system exports to the grid and what you consume from it. Any excess production is credited toward future bills inside the same calendar year; the meter resets each January. Surplus is not paid out in cash — so oversizing a system makes little financial sense.

Applying for a net meter

1. Fill in the online application at the net-metering portal.
2. Upload component certificates (inverter, panels, protection devices).
3. Email your dossier to netmetering@edl.gov.lb.
4. Wait for EDL inspection and final approval — the published process can take up to three months.

What changed in 2023

Parliament passed the Distributed Renewable Energy Production Law in December 2023, allowing private producers to sell up to 10 MW back to the grid. Implementation depends on the Electricity Regulatory Authority being seated, which had not happened at the time of writing.

The off-grid reality

Because EDL's grid is unstable and surplus is not remunerated, most households operate in a hybrid configuration: solar panels + lithium battery + EDL/generator backup, with no formal net-metering agreement. If grid hours improve in your area, applying for net metering becomes more attractive.