We are going to see above the most important points that we must consider when setting up a solar installation in accordance with the solar energy legislation currently in force in Spain.
Royal Decree 244/2019 on solar energy legislation
The new Royal Decree 244/2019 on photovoltaic solar energy legislation introduces new changes that we must take into account when carrying out solar installations.
We are going to name the most important changes that you should not overlook:
- Repeal of the sun tax. There are no fees for photovoltaic power generation.
- Energy surpluses are compensated. When solar panels produce more energy than is consumed, it is discharged to the electricity grid. It is the electricity companies that deduct that energy from electricity bills.
- Shared self-consumption. Neighborhood communities and associations are allowed to generate their own energy in their buildings/facilities.
- There are no power limits. Previously, it was not allowed to install a power equal to or lower than the contracted power.
- Energy production for all. Roofs of houses or buildings can be rented so that outsiders can generate electricity and thus share the benefits.
Types of self-consumption
The Royal Decree differentiates the types of self-consumption depending on whether there is a surplus of energy from solar installations.
When we talk about self-consumption without surpluses, we refer to solar panels that generate the necessary energy. In other words, they do not produce more energy than necessary. It has an anti-spill system in case there are surpluses so as not to dump them to the grid.
Self-consumption with surpluses refers to dumping the energy left over from our consumption to the electricity grid. In this way, electricity companies reward us for contributing to the production of energy that we can all use.
The price of the kWh that we put to the grid depends on the current price and on the different offers of electricity companies.
Therefore, consumption compensation can be made (we pour the excess recorded in kWh into the grid) where electricity companies decide what price to assign, and then it is deducted from our electricity bill. Or self-consumption can be carried out without compensation, where the excess energy is sold at the price agreed with the electricity companies.
How to sell electricity legally
We can compensate for the energy in the bill that refers to the kWh that we have consumed in our bill and it can be in its entirety. Your electricity company will guide you with its available offers for buying electricity.
If you already had a self-consumption solar installation before, you simply have to adapt the self-consumption installation to the new regulations.