With so many thousands of hours of sun per year, southern Spain, particularly Malaga, is the ideal place to install solar energy panels.
Affordable solar power systems and privately generated solar energy is generally used to supplement conventional electricity supply to your home, therefore taking the strain off the energy bill. More often than not, it is used to heat water for household use and also for swimming pools. In the case of swimming pools, solar panels are green gold when it comes to the summer, greatly extending the swimming season, allowing you to open the pool in early springtime and possibly keeping it open well into the autumn.
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Solar Panels in Spain is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly energy
What are the benefits for solar energy? Well, you can capture and harness the power of the sun with solar PV panels and the electricity you will produce will be the greenest, cleanest and most efficient possible. It doesn’t travel through any locations, pass through long processes or go anywhere, you use it right where you generate it.
As long as the sun continues to shine there will always be a supply of solar energy, making it the best renewable source of electricity possible.
2. The mechanics are pretty simple to use
Solar panels are made from small solar cells and are assembled in a larger panel format. The cells absorb the sunlight and turn it into direct current electricity. The “DC” electricity is then converted into “AC” – alternative current – electricity, by a device called an inverter, and is then fed to your internal power grid. It may sound complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple!
3. They are easy to maintain and take care of!
There’s good news! Solar panels require very little maintenance and are usually self-cleaning. Modern PV panels work well even if they are dusty, however, it is advisable to clean off excess dust or even wash off panels with a hose and water if necessary. Ideally, you should check with your installer about maintenance requirements when possible.
4. You have different options for where to install and mount your panels
What is the best way to install solar panels? Roof-mounted solar panels are generally less expensive because they do not require support structures that will add to the cost. You also make use of the space on your roof, without encroaching on other, more used areas. However, ground-mounted panels are a good option if your roof is not suitable for solar panels. Plus, solar panels installed on the ground can be tilted and adjusted to the movement of the sun which may then increase efficiency.
Of course, there are costs that need to be taken in account.
As well as the panels you will need to take into account additional elements for the installation and the costs of any paperwork to ensure the installation is legally registered.
As a rough guide, you can expect the total cost for materials, installation, and extras for a house to be around 10,000€, however, this could be a lot higher depending on if you need a higher energy output.
5.You can save money in the long term by using solar panels in Spain
There are lots of factors involved in the actual cost savings, depending on the tariff, installation and user consumption, and most importantly level of exposure to the sunlight. Thankfully, in Spain, we have an average of 320 sunny days per year, making you save money with solar energy.
How do we know it is such a cost-effective way to produce energy? For example, a 3KW array will typically produce around 12KWh per day, however, this power is only available when the sun shines, so it is definitely important that you use this power, or you effectively lose it!
For example, say you have a Pool filter system that typically runs for around 6 hours per day and for each hour it will consume approx. 1,2KWH of electrical energy, if you run this during the peak sun hours the 3KW array will effectively run your pool pump for free, (a saving of some 7KWH per day), further any surplus power will be used by other appliances such as the water heater, or boiler, WiFi router, the TV, fridge and further appliances which could further reduce electrical costs.
Depending on individual factors the payback of a solar system in Spain is typically from 7 to 12 years.
TIP: Newer estimates place savings on your bills of up to 70%, but this may not be the case for your household.
So, what can you do?
When calculating what you could save, it may be better to take into account a more conservative figure of 50% savings. This will give you a more realistic target.
You can also sell back any extra energy; however, the rates may be lower than what you expect. Solar panels in Spain national grid (REE) website publishes the sell back prices daily, so it’s worth keeping an eye on it.
By considering the cost of the panels and installation, along with any other costs and the amount you will save on your energy bills, will mean that the average time it takes to see actual savings is between 8 to 12 years. If you are thinking of moving home before then you may not see any savings at all. However, if you have received a grant towards the cost of the panels and installation, you will start to see savings much earlier.
6. Come Rain or Shine, Solar Panelling Still Works for you!
As you continue to be connected to the national grid you can still consume electricity as normal regardless of the weather, so do not worry if it rains for a week or two!
So, in conclusion…
If you are seriously thinking about installing solar panels on your Spanish home, it is a good idea to take all the pros and cons into account before signing up for anything and getting good advice on the matter.
With so many hours of sun in Spain, installing solar panels can make a lot of sense! Feel free to contact us for more!