Most companies managers from installation solar panels have information or a previous study where we will receive advice, analysis or advice on what is best for us according to the consumption we make or the type of house or dwelling we have but it is convenient that you can get a prior idea about how much it will cost or what we will have to do.
What to keep in mind
We cannot install solar panels when we decide, without more. It is not enough to buy them and place them on the roof whenever we want to start benefit from its advantages Instead, we have to have a series of permits and authorizations so that we can confirm that we can install the plates. Permits are divided into two parts: those that we must have before installation and the procedures that we must do after it.
Regulations and permits
There is a series of permissions that are fundamental. First, we need a design of the installation system: an authorized installer must design the installation that you are going to have and must make a technical report that takes into account current regulations. Once you have the system design, you need to request access and connection permissions from the distribution company. And the third of the “big” steps is to have a building license that will depend on the size of the facility and will not always be necessary, but a communication will have to be made.
How they collect from the company Otovo, other permissions are:
- Environmental or public utility authorization
It is not generally necessary for installations of less than 100 kWp (peak kilowatts) although you should consult it according to the Autonomous Community in which you live or the place where you are going to install the solar panels in case it is a protected territory, for example .
- Administrative and construction authorization
It is only necessary in the case of large installations. Those under 100 kWp do not need to have administrative authorization, although it should be consulted.
- End of work certificate
As its name suggests, it certifies that the work has been done correctly. It will depend on the size of the installation to be done by a higher grade electrician or technician. It will depend on whether it is more than 10 kWp or less.
- Initial inspection and periodic inspections
Nor will it be necessary in the case of installations of less than 10 kWp or, at least, not mandatory. An initial and periodic inspection carried out by an authorized body.
- Other processes and authorizations
- Self-consumption installation registration if it is industry
- Access contract for self-consumption installation
- Power supply contract for auxiliary services
- Representation contract
- Compensation contract for surpluses
Keep in mind that for the legalization of the photovoltaic installation we need an authorized installer. You can’t just install it. That is why it is advisable that you inquire with the company from which you are going to buy the plates or with an expert or installer who will tell you step by step what to do or what the process is. Some companies offer you technical advice and an installer informs us of everything.
Self-consumption modalities
We must also take into account the current regulations on solar panel installations when the user performs self-consumption. In this case, a difference is made between self-consumption without surpluses or self-consumption with surpluses.
According to the Royal Decree approved in April 2019, there are these two types of self-consumption. Self-consumption with surpluses covered by compensation is not limited to supplying electricity for self-consumption but also discharges the surplus into the distribution and transport networks.
And without surpluses, as its name indicates, it is an equipment or installation that does not pour energy into the grid and that prevents the surplus from being transferred to the distribution grid. That is, you do not receive financial compensation but the owner is solely responsible both for the “advantages” and for possible drawbacks. The great benefit of self-consumption without surpluses is that the processing is much simpler than in the previous case and some of the requirements of the previous section are not necessary, such as access and connection permits, for example.
Types of solar panels
Regardless of the type you install, you must bear in mind that there are a series of permits that we must take into account before installation, but also a series of procedures that we must carry out after it.
There are many types of solar panels on the market and the first thing to consider is which ones you want to install. They are not all the same although its purpose is. We usually differentiate between photovoltaic, thermal and hybrid. Photovoltaic solar panels use solar energy to convert it into electricity. For its part, the thermal solar panel converts the energy from the sun into thermal energy or heat, such as air conditioning or hot water. Finally, the hybrids that allow us to use the two previous technologies in the same panels and allow us to produce electricity and heat with the same installation.
Also the well-known Tesla It has a system that does not include an installation of solar panels as such, but instead replaces your roof to “produce clean energy”. Tesla boasts “uncompromisingly stylish solar power” with a sleek design and a solar power system fully integrated with the home. In addition, they promise that the tiles last three times longer than traditional ones and withstand any weather in addition to being linked with the Powerwall that stores the surplus for when you need it and allows us total control from the Tesla application.
Costs, savings and amortization
How much will it cost us, how long will it take to recover the money we have invested in this installation of solar panels or how much will we save in the coming decades if we decide to bet on self-consumption.
Installation price
How much does it cost to install a solar panel? It depends. It is not like buying a fan but it will depend on many factors. The three most important are: the size of the installation or peak power, the quality of the photovoltaic components or the difficulty of installing. It will depend on the size that costs us more but also that we achieve a greater return saving month by month for the next few years. It will depend on the energy you need that you choose to put more or less plates, of the consumption that you do. It will not be the same to live alone than to be a family with six people that makes frequent use of electrical appliances or air conditioning, for example.
The great furniture company Ikea it has its own solar energy system, for example. What we offers Ikea there are two systems, SOLSTRALE or its more efficient PLUS version, in different sizes depending on your home or consumption. The most affordable option is four photovoltaic panels of 340W or 390W “for a house or small home with limited consumption during the day” for about 4,100 euros with VAT included in its normal version or about 5,000 euros VAT included in its PLUS version. In the case of the 12 panels that it offers in its most complete option for “larger house or home, well equipped or with significant consumption during the day” it includes twelve 340W or 390W panels for 6,633 euros or the Plus version for about 7,800 euros including VAT.
The Solarplus company allows us to do a brief test where it will indicate which are the most appropriate panels according to your roof, whether or not there is shade or according to other factors such as how much you pay for electricity monthly. On this website, you can also make a comparison between the different brands according to criteria such as quality-price, reliability, efficiency …
Savings and amortization
How long it will take to pay off the solar panels will depend on many factors. Of course, it will depend on the weather and the conditions of the place where you live. It will not be similar to live in northern areas with a rainy climate than in Mediterranean areas where practically every day of the year the sun shines. It is one of the factors that we must take into account to take advantage of the installation. We must also take into account the orientation … It does not make sense to make an installation of solar panels with an orientation to which the sun never hits, for example.
To understand amortization, one must take into account the IRR or Internal Rate of Return. PFor this, there are two fundamental factors that help us calculate profitability: the price of the installation and the annual energy savings. Calculating the price of the installation is very simple but the difficulty comes with the calculation of the annual savings estimate. It will depend on each house, each routine, each place.
Therefore, to get a calculation of the annual savings estimate We must take into account the price of electricity and the evolution of said price, the consumption made by each user or each house and the production capacity of the solar panels that we have installed.
As explained from the specialized company SotySolar, the return or amortization is between five and ten years but depends on the size of the installation and the form of payment. In addition, this company (and many others) offer the possibility of carrying out a study according to your specific situation or according to the installation you want to put in, since amortizing the installation of solar panels is something very specific. In Sotysolar they also indicate that “the most common thing is to save between 50% and 60% of the electricity bill with self-consumption solutions of photovoltaic panels and that you recover the investment in less than seven years”. In most cases.
Some tips to improve profitability are:
- Choose good, high-quality materials
- Calculate and study daylight hours
- Study and calculate the price of energy
- Know the consumption of the users
- Study and know the hourly habits
- Try to estimate or anticipate what it will be like in the future