Solar panels for self-consumption: everything you need to know

The sun tax is far away. The current energy crisis and exorbitant electricity prices have resulted in more and more households considering it. Install solar panels or panels to produce electricity and start using it ourselves

However, a lack of knowledge about this technology means that many people shy away from action or make bad decisions when hiring and scaling a solar panel installation, so today on Bekia Hogar we’re going to talk about installation. solar energy Available types How to install And everything you should consider if you want to install solar panels on your home.

Types of solar installations to produce energy

They are generally divided into two types:

• lonely: Solar panels can produce enough energy to completely eliminate the power company. In this case, the installation is isolated from the grid. And it only depends on what you produce.
• Connect to network: In this case, the installation is connected to the electrical grid. So you continue to pay your electricity bill to the electric company. The normal thing is to maintain electricity mileage and save on consumption. Your installation will determine if it has enough power to operate on its own power and, if not, on the grid. It is the most common thing.

Additionally, when planning installation, two methods can be done:

• No battery: It is one of the most popular because it is more economical, especially for network-connected installations. All electricity produced by solar panels is immediately used. And what is left over is sent to the electrical grid. to receive financial compensation
• With battery: On this occasion, the installation has a battery pack that can save energy. When energy is produced more than necessary The battery will be charged. Then when there is no sun Electrical energy from the battery is used until it is discharged. And electricity will only be used from the electrical grid. Similarly, when there is sunlight and the battery is fully charged. Excess energy is poured into the electrical grid.

Solar panel installation components

1. Solar panel: It’s obvious, but it’s an important component of the installation. Most will be MonocrystallineMade from crystalline silicon cells Its price has dropped significantly in recent years. When choosing you need to take into account production due to its size Manufacturer’s warranty Estimated useful life and decay speed causing loss of production capacity
2. structure: Depending on the type of roof, you will need a structure of some kind to hold the panels. they often go slightly tilted facing south. It must be remembered that some shadows cannot overlap with others. And the installation must not block the rain on the roof.
3. Investors: It is the device responsible for converting the panel’s continuous power into alternating current and putting it into your installation. The inverter is also responsible for managing excess power on the grid. or charging the battery and know when to use it The inverter depends on the capacity of the network. Type of installation (single phase or three phase) including battery reception or not
4. battery: They are choices. It allows electrical energy that is not in use for a specified time to be stored for later reuse. Generally it is part More expensive installationSo you have to evaluate it correctly if you want it. You must remember that batteries are used when there is no sunlight. Generally at night This is the time when light is cheaper. Therefore, it may not be necessary in your installation.
5. Electricity consumption meter or meter: It is also optional. Although recommended Since it usually costs around 100 euros, it is a small device that is installed in the electrical panel and measures the energy consumption of the entire installation in real time. It communicates over WiFi, so through the app. You can see how much you have spent. The parts you get from a solar panel and which part from the electrical network

How to scale a solar panel installation

This is one of the most important steps in the entire process. By determining the correct size of solar panel installation you want today, Large installations cannot compensate. economically With electricity costs above 0.3 euros per kWh for consumers. Electricity companies usually pay an average of €0.05 per kWh for excess energy poured into the grid. That is, they pay you six times less than they sell for. If your idea is to scale up to make money selling electricity. The reality is that you can hardly make a profit on the installation price.

Calculate our actual consumption by hours and days.

The first step in knowing how and how many solar panels to install: Know how much light we use. And above all, when? Here you have two options. The first option is to do View your electricity bill or your electric company’s website to learn how to determine your electricity usage. The second, most reliable, is that you immediately install a consumption meter. and with this app So you have real-time details and graphs.

A family that is away from home all day and uses electricity only at night is not like a family that uses a lot of electricity during the day. It is also useful to know at what time of year you use more electricity: if in summer there is an air conditioner. or vice versa You have an electric heater and it’s winter.

Calculate our installation and production capacity.

How many solar panels can you install on your roof? How much electricity capacity will you have? It is the second step when sizing an electrical installation. And you need to take into account:

• Roof inclination: Roofs that already have a slope are more beneficial than flat roofs. This requires you to tilt the panels and leave a distance to prevent the roof’s shadow from affecting other roofs.
• Roof orientation: The best way is to face south. Even if you face southeast or southwest. You will hardly notice the difference. But in another way You will lose efficiency. If the roof is flat You can move the plates as you please with the structure. But not in an oblique way.
• Installation location: Installing solar panels in Seville is not the same as in San Sebastian. The number of sunshine hours per day or rainy days per year influences total solar energy production. This may be a lot more than you expected.

The EU has a free calculator with which you can model most of the data based on the address you want to install.

Calculate number of plates and battery needs.

Once we know the amount of usage and the ability to install It’s time to calculate how many panels we will install. And will it increase the battery or not? It depends on whether you are doing the installation yourself or a professional. cost of adding Special plates can vary between 200 and 800 euros..

If our installation ability is less than our requirements. Well, it’s a no-brainer: install as many plates as possible. If we have more capacity than our needs That’s when you should start doing the numbers. How much electricity does it use at night? How much surplus will you have left? You need to add up the cost of the additional plate + battery and compare it to the average electricity cost at night, which is generally lower than during the daytime. To know if you will be able to amortize the installation.

In any case We recommend that you always install hybrid inverterMany companies install batteries as standard which do not allow adding more batteries to save on costs. As in hybrid batteries, you cannot install batteries at this time. But it leaves the door open for the future without making too many installation changes.

Solar panel installation steps

Once our needs are determined It’s time to proceed with the installation. In that sense, there are several companies responsible for the entire process. It is up to you to request several estimates. But once you’ve determined your needs, You can always check the price of the solar kit itself along with what you need. And find out how much extra the solar panel kit will cost you for the entire process. which is technically demanding and bureaucratic in equal proportions:

1. ask work permit Go to your city hall Be sure to do so. This is because you will need to legalize your installation in the Autonomous Community.
2. carry out Installation work and start the inverter and solar panels
3. Make solar installation legalRequesting an electrical bulletin board Registration of industrial safety technical installations as well as registering the installation in the registry of your independent community. You may also need a new energy certificate for your home.
4. to you Registration as a consumer and pursue compensation for the excess with your electric company. They will request documents from Point 3 and it is a process that can take several months.
5. Apply for scholarship Available for solar panel installation.

Various subsidies for installing solar panels

In Spain it is possible to get subsidies or installation bonuses from various organizations, these change frequently. Therefore, it is better to consult the official website or have an intermediary responsible for processing those data.

• Local grants: At your city council level This usually corresponds to the bonus in the IBI, which is the real estate tax, for example, in the capital of Madrid. There will be a 50% reduction in the contribution price over three years.
• Regional funding: at the level of your autonomous community Non-refundable subsidies for solar energy installations These are generally from European funds and calls will be opened depending on available entries.
• National subsidies: at the federal level less frequently Although it is possible to reduce your personal income tax if installing solar panels improves your home’s energy efficiency.

Is this whole process worth it? The answer, if you do it right, is yes without a doubt. The price of solar panels has dropped significantly in recent years. Meanwhile, aid has increased. From lower VAT on purchases to generous subsidies and bonuses. A self-contained solar installation can pay for itself in as little as 2 years, although the typical payback period is around 8 – 10 years.