It’s a fact, we live in a world that is increasingly aware of the environment and looking for sustainable alternatives. In this context, solar energy is an attractive and profitable option. If you have considered taking advantage of the sun’s energy to reduce your electricity bill and contribute to a greener future, now is the ideal time to take the step. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know to start using solar energy and how to sell the surplus you generate, to make a financial profit and have electricity bills at €0.
More and more people are considering solar energy as a sustainable and profitable long-term solution to generate their own electricity. With solar panels, in addition to reducing your electricity bill, you can also sell the surplus you produce and generate additional income. Are you interested? Here I explain how you can start using solar energy, legalize your installation and sell the surplus generated by your panels.
What you need to start using solar energy
Before installing solar panels, it is very important that you carry out a preliminary study to determine whether your house is suitable for this type of energy. Some key factors are the orientation of the roof, the inclination and that there are no shadows that could affect the sun that the panels receive. And not only that, the geographical location and the weather that is usually in the area where you live will also help you to know the amount of energy that you will be able to store each day. Living in the Basque Country or Asturias is not the same as living in Alicante or AlmerÃa, where there are many more hours of sunshine.
Housing evaluation
First, check the orientation of your roof. In Spain, the best orientation to maximize solar gain is towards the south. If this is not possible, east and west orientations are also viable, although less efficient, since they will generate less energy than with a purely south orientation. Make sure that the roof is in good condition and without obstacles that cast shadows on the panels.
Normally when we install solar panels, we install them parallel to the roof, so that the wind does not cause any problems by creating a sail effect. For this reason, the orientation of the roof is so important.
Necessary components
Surely when you think about the possibility of installing solar panels on your property, one of the things that puts you off the most is thinking about how difficult and complicated their installation must be. In reality, it is not that difficult. In addition, it is most normal for specialized technicians to take care of it. To show you that it is not that bad, this is what you need for a photovoltaic installation:
- Solar panels: which convert sunlight into electricity.
- Inverter: to transform the direct current generated by the panels into alternating current, which is what we use in our homes.
- Support structures: which will secure the panels to the roof.
- Storage system (optional): batteries will store the generated energy for use at night or on cloudy days.
- Bidirectional meter: to measure both the energy consumed from the grid and the energy injected into it. Nowadays all meters are of this type, otherwise the distributor must take care of changing it for you completely free of charge.
Legalization of the installation
Once you have decided to install solar panels, you will have to legalize the installation if you want to benefit from surplus compensation.
The installation must comply with local regulations and have the necessary permits. Typically, this involves:
- Request for permits: Submit a technical project to the town hall and request the building permits.
- Installation registration: Register the installation in the administrative registry of self-consumption of electrical energy in your autonomous community.
- Technical inspection: Once installed, an inspection entity must certify that it complies with the technical and safety requirements.
Once everything is done, you will not only be able to generate your own energy, but you will also be able to sell it to pay off the installation much more quickly.
Selecting the installation company
Finally, I recommend that you hire a specialized and certified company to carry out the installation. They will take care of all the legal procedures and ensure that the installation is carried out without problems. Nowadays, there are a large number of companies that are dedicated to the installation of photovoltaic solar panels, and the truth is that there is a significant difference in money between one company and another. It is highly recommended that they always install high-quality components, both the panels and the inverter, and that they do not use second-rate brands that could cause you problems in the long run.
They can also train and advise you on how to sell surplus energy. Don’t know what this is? Keep reading to find out how you can make the energy you generate with your solar panels profitable, but don’t use it.
How the sale of surplus energy works
One of the biggest advantages of self-consumption with solar panels is the possibility of selling the excess energy that you do not consume. Contributing to improving the environment with a sustainable solution, which, in addition to long-term savings, allows you to obtain economic returns in the short term, is an advantage that you should take into account if you are hesitating to start using this type of energy.
Surplus compensation system
In Spain, surplus energy is compensated through the simplified compensation mechanism. This system allows you to receive a discount on your electricity bill for the energy you inject into the grid. The compensation is usually around €0.1/kWh, and is deducted from the variable cost of your electricity bill, i.e. from consumption. If your electricity bill shows consumption of €30, and you have been able to sell surpluses worth €30, the consumption part will be €0, and you will only have to pay for the fixed part (the contracted power).
This surplus compensation system is perfect if you generate more or less the same energy as you consume. You will have to test it the first year and see both consumption and solar production to see if it is worth it or if you should use the virtual battery.
Virtual drum
Some electricity companies offer the option of a virtual battery. This tool allows you to accumulate the value of uncompensated surpluses in a virtual balance, which can be used for future bills. This is useful if in a certain month you generate more surpluses than can be compensated on your bill, since the fixed part of the bill is also discounted. With this virtual battery, you can have €0 bills every month, as long as you have a fairly large photovoltaic solar installation of approximately 6kWp.
Now you know that starting to use solar energy and selling your surplus is a great way to save on your electricity bill and contribute to the environment. Make sure you do a prior study of the conditions of your home, legalize the installation and select a certified company for the installation. With surplus compensation and virtual battery options, you will be maximizing the economic return on your investment in solar energy in no time.
