# Solar panels, whats the law now ?



## Kate Anda (Apr 3, 2014)

We are looking at a plot of land with a legal house on it but no electricity. The estate agent tells us no problem just put up solar panels but I have been reading articles about solar power in Spain which indicate that solar energy has to be connected to the grid and you will be charged more than you would for electricity.

Does anyone on the forum have solar panels ?

Here is the article link
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyph...-in-debt-spain-sets-sights-on-taxing-the-sun/

Thanks for any input on this. Obviously dont want to end up in the dark or paying silly money for a plot which is uninhabitable.

thanks.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I may be wrong (can someone in the know correct me if I am), but I was told that you couldn't 'feed the grid' and that you, therefore, can't connect to it any more.

There certainly aren't any grants available.

There was talk of taxing solar power but I think this has gone away now.


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## Kate Anda (Apr 3, 2014)

The article I posted suggests that anyone who does not connect their solar power to the grid will be fined and if you do connect then the tax you pay on it will be higher than a normal electricity bill. Another article I read in Spanish said you could only use so many hours and that inspectors have been given the right to enter your property to check on energy supplies. And that you could only have solar or wind power but not both. Would be good to know the exact legal situation before even considering solar power as an option.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Kate Anda said:


> The article I posted suggests that anyone who does not connect their solar power to the grid will be fined and if you do connect then the tax you pay on it will be higher than a normal electricity bill. Another article I read in Spanish said you could only use so many hours and that inspectors have been given the right to enter your property to check on energy supplies. And that you could only have solar or wind power but not both. Would be good to know the exact legal situation before even considering solar power as an option.



... yes but that article was over a year old - things may have changed now.


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## Kate Anda (Apr 3, 2014)

I hope so but am unsure how to find out definitely what the legal situation is with powering your home with solar. If the above article and others I have read are anything to go by it could be an expensive mistake.


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## Maureen47 (Mar 27, 2014)

I guess if you live in a rural situation where you cannot connect to the grid then this does not apply , if you have no solar power then you have no power at all other than a generator , I think many Brits in Spain are in this situation in rural areas where solar is by need not necessarily by choice


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

maureen47 said:


> I guess if you live in a rural situation where you cannot connect to the grid then this does not apply , if you have no solar power then you have no power at all other than a generator , I think many Brits in Spain are in this situation in rural areas where solar is by need not necessarily by choice


I knew a couple who lived halfway up the side of a mountain near guadalest, they had a generator and solar, never had any problems, although it was a couple of years ago.

If I were fitting solar I would go for a combined system, photovoltaics and a water heating unit. Even in winter the water heater will raise the water temp in a tank by at least 25 degrees. Means you won't be completely dependant on electric or gas to heat the water.
In fact I don't know why more houses in Spain aren't fitted with a capillary water heater. You can heat a domestic tank in a couple of hours in the summer, which will cover your water needs for the day. It's what most of the Caribbean do for hot water.

The only problem with solar, is that the hotter the cells get, the less efficient they are.
The normal efficiency of a solar panel is around 15% . 
This site gives good info.
Photovoltaic Panel Efficiency, Inherent and System Constraints


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Whatever you decide, don't base your decision on the advice of an estate agent...


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

At the moment, in Andalucia at least, it is illegal to “feed” the grid unless you have a separate, very expensive, metering system installed by the power company (and you have to jump through many hoops to get this.... they don't make it easy). The way people with modern solar systems get round this is by having an automatic switch that connects to the grid only when the batteries are exhausted, the batteries charge up to max potential then the system switches back over to batteries. In the case of less power required than is being generated by the solar system ( an unoccupied house for example) then the power is removed by a dummy load, in effect dumped ……. and this is what really winds me up.

We’re all supposed to be trying to save the world by decreasing our power consumption yet the power companies of Spain have made it illegal to try & help. 

There’s a solar system without batteries using a “grid switch inverter” which involves solar panels but no batteries where, if the generated power of the panels is more than the load of the house, the power is fed back into the grid. A good idea you would think because ordinary Joe Soap who wants to knock a bit off his leccy bill, thereby reducing the strain on the grid, could stick a couple of panels & this box of tricks on his sun terrace & bobs yer uncle, everybody’s happy……. er no…… because the Spanish power companies have made this illegal as well.

A totally ludicrous situation but how can you argue with an entity that when told by the leader of their country (Zapatero) that they couldn’t increase their prices took him to court & won.

It’s probably no surprise to you when I say the sun is shining yet again here in Almeria but I wonder how much of that sun is going to waste at this moment. The mind boggles.


Doggy


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

owdoggy said:


> At the moment, in Andalucia at least, it is illegal to “feed” the grid unless you have a separate, very expensive, metering system installed by the power company (and you have to jump through many hoops to get this.... they don't make it easy). The way people with modern solar systems get round this is by having an automatic switch that connects to the grid only when the batteries are exhausted, the batteries charge up to max potential then the system switches back over to batteries. In the case of less power required than is being generated by the solar system ( an unoccupied house for example) then the power is removed by a dummy load, in effect dumped ……. and this is what really winds me up.
> 
> We’re all supposed to be trying to save the world by decreasing our power consumption yet the power companies of Spain have made it illegal to try & help.
> 
> ...


What a scandal, you just about could not make it up :frusty::doh::tape2::smash::crazy::rip: "Only in Spain"


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

el romeral said:


> What a scandal, you just about could not make it up :frusty::doh::tape2::smash::crazy::rip: "Only in Spain"


In fact Camoron was thinking along the same lines.


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## Kate Anda (Apr 3, 2014)

After a lot of research we discovered a copy of the law which I will post here.
http://blog.netenvira.com/wp-content/uploads/borrador_RD_Autoconsumo.pdf

It is in Spanish so for those who cant read it, or to save those that can the trouble, I,ll do a quick summary.

Since 2011 you are legally required to register any alternative energy system you install with the town hall.

The installation has to be carried out by a licensed authorized company.

You ate legally obliged to contact your local energy supplier and give them all the details of registration and installation.

The energy company has the legal right to enter your property and inspect your installation

Within 2 months the energy company is obliged to fit a radio controlled meter to monitor your consumption and bill you accordingly.

peaje de accesso is the accounting system , and sorry its too complex to understand never mind explain, so impossible to calculate how much it would be.

peaje de respalda is another charge on alternative energy users designed to compensate the energy company with loss of income. For example 450 kwh in a month would have a tariff of 30 euros. 

Avoiding registration or disconnecting old systems from the energy company is considered a serious criminal infraction with enormous fines and prison sentences.

The energy companies have the right to change their tariffs on a daily basis as and when they require.

Worth noting here that these new amendments to an existing law were put in place by Aznar while prime minister. He is now CEO of Iberdrola, one of the largest energy companies. Over the last 15 years the energy companies have recieved 40 billion of public money and are still in debt 28 billion due to their bad management and investments.


Hope this has been useful for anyone interested in this subject. What the estate agents wont tell you if you are intending to buy a finca and run it on solar power.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Kate Anda said:


> Worth noting here that these new amendments to an existing law were put in place by Aznar while prime minister. He is now CEO of Iberdrola, one of the largest energy companies.
> .


Hi,
This company also owns Scottish Power, in the UK!

Cheers
Steve


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

The above is only if you use solar system when you are connected to the grid. If you are not connected to the grid at all because Iberdrola does not reach that area, then you have NOTHING to pay. Why is it so difficult to understand? 

I have solar panels and I pay nothing as I have solar panels because I HAVE NO options but to have solar panels!


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## Kate Anda (Apr 3, 2014)

Lolito said:


> Why is it so difficult to understand?


Because we are getting conflicting advice. The law states that all auto consumers must now be registered. You dont need to be connected to the red to do this, the energy company has the right to monitor your consumption through a radio meter.

This morning we got an email from a solar power company that says the same as you do, that there are exemptions for people in rural areas that cannot get connected to the red and are referred to as aislado. However he is after business and wont be paying the fines if we get this wrong.

Our next step is a local gestor who specialises in management of fincas. That way we can be specific about the finca, it,s location and how the autoconsumo law will or won,t affect us.


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## Kate Anda (Apr 3, 2014)

These new amendments to this law were only passed in October 2013 and are already being challenged in the European courts. Whether the energy companies are implementing them and already employing inspectors for private homes yet I have no idea. It will be interesting to see what happens in Brussels.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Kate Anda said:


> Because we are getting conflicting advice. The law states that all auto consumers must now be registered. You dont need to be connected to the red to do this, the energy company has the right to monitor your consumption through a radio meter.
> 
> This morning we got an email from a solar power company that says the same as you do, that there are exemptions for people in rural areas that cannot get connected to the red and are referred to as aislado. However he is after business and wont be paying the fines if we get this wrong.
> 
> Our next step is a local gestor who specialises in management of fincas. That way we can be specific about the finca, it,s location and how the autoconsumo law will or won,t affect us.


This actually makes no sense.

Given that there are MANY energy suppliers in any one given area, which one do you tell?

For example, in Alcoi you could be with any one of 3 suppliers (may even be more than that).


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## Kate Anda (Apr 3, 2014)

my mistake, I should have written "an energy company" presumably if you have a choice you get to choose.


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