# Solar Energy in Spain



## RPW (May 20, 2011)

Hi all!

(It has been a long time.)

Anyway, moving on, we're looking at a bit of frugal living here; one of our many ideas is solar energy - we have a south-facing roof that is just crying out for some panels, as well as some electricity bills crying out to be reduced.

My question is: are there any incentives or subsidies for such a project here in Spain. I know in the UK you can get a few government incentives, and even sell some of your electricity to the national grid - are there such things here in good 'ol Es?

If this has been answered before, please send me to the right place, I did search, but I didn't find anything.

Cheers!


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2012)

my friend owns a little solar company here, business sucks. The last I heard there were still subsidies but they have been cut and if you aren't near the front of the line each calendar year then you are out. There are great alternatives to the typical expensive solar panels and wind mill's. It's call passive solar heating and you might google that to find alternatives to the up front costs of the more expensive high tech solutions.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I have a feeling that subsidies, if they exist, vary from region to region so it might be worth checking with your local authorities.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

You will have to wait years to recoup the cost of solar panels and change your lifestyle to fit in with the vastly reduced power the setup will give you, think in terms of running a laptop, some LED lights and the fridge for a few hours a day.

Think about double glazing, insulating you home. If you have a typical open plan lounge kitchen/diner look at maybe folding walls where in winter you can create rooms and only heat as needed. Gas/propane central heating is very efficient these days with a high performance boiler. Wood burners heat well but check wood prices and what type of wood, has it been aged, green wood won't burn well. 

Look at what is using the power in your home and ask if you really need it.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> You will have to wait years to recoup the cost of solar panels and change your lifestyle to fit in with the vastly reduced power the setup will give you, think in terms of running a laptop, some LED lights and the fridge for a few hours a day.
> 
> Think about double glazing, insulating you home. If you have a typical open plan lounge kitchen/diner look at maybe folding walls where in winter you can create rooms and only heat as needed. Gas/propane central heating is very efficient these days with a high performance boiler. Wood burners heat well but check wood prices and what type of wood, has it been aged, green wood won't burn well.
> 
> Look at what is using the power in your home and ask if you really need it.


On the subject of green wood, it will also generate tars that will foul up your chimney. Best time to buy is about now and store it yourself in a drying area so that when you want to use it next winter (or preferably the winter after) you will know that it is properly dried.

Really the only way to utilise all this lovely free sunshine cost-effectively is for hot water, either direct during the summer, or pre-heat the water going to a boiler or a swimming pool. Not a good idea to use one of those water heaters that has a cylinder which sits ON the roof beside the panel because that has to cope with the cold weather in winter (can get down to -10 or more if you are inland) and your roof has to take the weight - far better to have a storage tank in the attic.


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

How much land have you got ? It might be worth looking into the possibility of Geothermal or Aerothermal energy aswell ...


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

My son in law has installed a huge water tank.. plastic that sits at the other side of the carport. he has painted it black and the mains water has been diverted into it and sits in there getting so hot from the sun that they can wash the dishes using water from the cold tap although in winter it is not so good..


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

MaidenScotland said:


> My son in law has installed a huge water tank.. plastic that sits at the other side of the carport. he has painted it black and the mains water has been diverted into it and sits in there getting so hot from the sun that they can wash the dishes using water from the cold tap although in winter it is not so good..


Hope he's careful with the risk of bacterial infection


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

djfwells said:


> Hope he's careful with the risk of bacterial infection



as soon as I posted I thought I wished I hadn't bothered because someone ill come on about bacterial infection.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> as soon as I posted I thought I wished I hadn't bothered because someone ill come on about bacterial infection.


Hey Maiden, it's not like you to be so negative - it's a good that you did post it and it is also good that it got the response that it did. It will highlight the matter to somebody else who might think of going down that route. 

Out of interest, at which of your many locations is this water heater? If it is Egypt then wouldn't it be a rather long pipe run for somebody in Spain?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Hey Maiden, it's not like you to be so negative - it's a
> 
> good that you did post it and it is also good that it got the response that it did. It will highlight the matter to somebody else who might think of going down that route. Out of interest, at which of your many locations is this water heater?




I never said it was at my location I said my son in law.. it is on the Costa Brava inland. My son in law is a civil engineer so he knows what he is doing, he also has one for topping up the pool.

In Egypt I have electric water heater.. exactly the same as the ones in Spain but if you have a balcony they sit out there on the wall in full sun, I have my electric water heater in Spain outside on the wall.
I lived in a flat that had all the water stored on the roof... cold water was never cold.


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

MaidenScotland said:


> I never said it was at my location I said my son in law.. it is on the Costa Brava inland. My son in law is a civil engineer so he knows what he is doing, he also has one for topping up the pool.
> 
> In Egypt I have electric water heater.. exactly the same as the ones in Spain but if you have a balcony they sit out there on the wall in full sun, I have my electric water heater in Spain outside on the wall.
> I lived in a flat that had all the water stored on the roof... cold water was never cold.



I have a similar system (by default) at my Finca. The water runs in a Black plastic pipe, over ground from the mains about 3/4 of a mile away. Because it is overground the supply is frozen solid for a bout 6 hours per day in Winter, and too hot to take a shower until dusk in Summer. 
Ok for washing the dishes though.


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## RPW (May 20, 2011)

Thanks for your help everyone, and sorry for the delay in writing - we've been "inundated" with fugas for the past few weeks that it's been difficult to think.

I'll contact the officials here and see if there's any funding available, and we'll also start saving - hopefully we can aprovecha the south facing roof a bit in the near future.


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