# Adding solar panels to my house



## BraveHorse (Jan 22, 2018)

With rising energy prices, I'm thinking more and more about adding a couple solar panels to my house.
I have a shed in my garden, where I could install solar panels on the roof. I've seen complete kits for less than 3,000€. I will not be autonomous, but that would much reduce my electricity bills.
Has anyone here done it? Do I need some kind of permission to do that?
Thanks.


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## modicasa (May 29, 2021)

It depends where you live as to whether you need permissions or not. The law was relaxed recently to make it easier. Do you mean solar panels for hot water or fotovoltaics to produce electricity? The latter, if you are planning on an in/out meter with ENEL also depends on your house not being too far from a cabin. Bizarrely it is easier, (but more expensive) to install panels in the roof of your house than on an outbuilding, and if you were planning on getting the state incentives, the incentive goes down if you install on land or on a building which is not the house itself.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

For 3K I hope he means electricity. Solar hot water should be much cheaper.

I'll just point out the first thing you should consider is have you done everything else first? Newer more efficient appliances can make a lot more sense.


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## BraveHorse (Jan 22, 2018)

Yes, I mean electricity.

And I don't want the solar panels on the roof of the house. The roof is much higher there, and the slope is steeper. Installation cost would be very high, whereas I could probably install them on my shed's roof myself.
I'm in South Piemont, hadn't thought the regulations would not be the same anywhere in Italy. I'll try to check with someone nearby.

Regarding appliances, all light bulbs are low consumption, and my appliances are fairly recent. Not much to gain here.

About the incentives, do they require the work of a registered, government-approved craftsman who will install everything according to regulations, and testify its work, or is it possible for an individual doing everything by himself, to claim them?


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Depends which ones. But I think the full energy saving ones require a proper engineer to sign off on the project.


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## modicasa (May 29, 2021)

If you're claiming incentives (apart from sconto in fattura) you must have all the process done by approved installers, and pay by bonifico as well as all the other rules and regs


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## BraveHorse (Jan 22, 2018)

OK, thanks. So I'll calculate the costs 2 ways. One doing everything by myself, second with a professional doing it.


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## simon_Biggs (Jan 2, 2020)

I had solar panels/heat pump for hot water/heating and fotovoltaic/inverter systems installed, in 2020. The hot water system replacing the original GPL hotwater/heating system. The fotovoltaic/inverter for electricity. Would recommend you have everything install professionally and look to employ a project manager with knowledge of the local comune requirements. As an example, our local comune insisted on red fotovoltaic panels, at an additional cost of 1800 euros and these are less efficient, providing only 5.2kw not the 6.0kw we planned for. 
Project was expensive but was able to take advantage of local incentives, upto 50% on some costs. We also had a refund of 500 Euros on the energy we sent back to the grid in 2021 and have potential savings on the low usage of GPL, only use it for cooking, compared to having to purchase GPL at todays prices.


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## BRemde (1 mo ago)

simon_Biggs said:


> I had solar panels/heat pump for hot water/heating and fotovoltaic/inverter systems installed, in 2020. The hot water system replacing the original GPL hotwater/heating system. The fotovoltaic/inverter for electricity. Would recommend you have everything install professionally and look to employ a project manager with knowledge of the local comune requirements. As an example, our local comune insisted on red fotovoltaic panels, at an additional cost of 1800 euros and these are less efficient, providing only 5.2kw not the 6.0kw we planned for.
> Project was expensive but was able to take advantage of local incentives, upto 50% on some costs. We also had a refund of 500 Euros on the energy we sent back to the grid in 2021 and have potential savings on the low usage of GPL, only use it for cooking, compared to having to purchase GPL at todays prices.


So what was the total out of pocket cost for the entire system, excluding incentives?


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## simon_Biggs (Jan 2, 2020)

BRemde said:


> So what was the total out of pocket cost for the entire system, excluding incentives?


Total cost for the system was 14.2k euro at 2020 prices. This is quite an investment, however, the predicted cost of GPL heating system was 1.8k per year at 2020 prices. The current situation in Europe has obviously pushed up the price per cubic mtr of GPL.


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