Solar and photovoltaic

The current situation for solar panel incentives is very different from the last two decades. The Feed-in Tariff scheme basically pushed companies to purchase energy generated by domestic solar panels of private citizens. Now, the FIT scheme has ended and government support for PV systems has changed. The new Government initiative, the Smart Export Guarantee, has established a new incentive system for owners to offset their investment but it is not as attractive as the old FITs. Under this new programme, the payback period for PV panels has increased. Government grants for PV solar Nowadays, there are no Government grants for solar panels in the UK. The Government concluded the Green Deal in 2015 after two failed attempts to provide interest-free loans, and then grants, to encourage citizens to purchase solar panels or to adopt a range of other energy-efficiency measures. The Government initiative currently in force, the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF), does not provide a solar-panel fund, but is instead focused only on multiple types of energy-saving home improvements. Free solar panels for pensioners Back in the days of the Green Deal, pensioners could easily get a solar PV grant from the government. This certainly wasn’t a gift, but the loans were interest-free, and pensioners, spending more time at home, could absorb the expense more quickly than other citizens who spend their day out at work. Feed-in Tariff: government incentive no longer available Starting in 2010, the UK Government promoted domestic solar PV installation with a very attractive incentive: the Feed-in Tariff scheme, but on 31 March 2019, the scheme stopped accepting new applications. An exception was made for those who had a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificate before the deadline: they could submit an application to their energy supplier until 31 March 2020. Actually, the FITs were available not only for photovoltaic energy but for all types of renewable energy. The scheme was open to anyone who had installed domestic renewable and low-carbon electricity-generating technologies with a maximum total installed capacity of 5 MW, including: Solar PV (roof-mounted or free-standing) Wind (building-mounted or free-standing) Hydroelectricity Anaerobic digesters Micro CHP (Combined Heat and Power) – with a capacity up to 2 kW Successful applicants benefited from incentives for generation and export and savings on bills. The generation tariff was a fixed price for each kWh of generated electricity, guaranteed for the period of the FITs, up to 20 years. The export tariff, a second income stream, was a rate granted to prosumers for each kWh fed into the public distribution grid. The third benefit came directly from savings on energy bills due to self-generation and consumption of energy, thus reducing energy withdrawn from the grid. FIT payments were made based on the meter reading users submitted to their energy retailer, which made payments from the date the consumers were admitted to the scheme until expiry of their contract, usually 20 years later. Prosumers who signed up before the deadline received FIT payments upon termination of the period of validity of the contract, even if the FIT scheme ended. Smart Export Guarantee: government support for the export of renewable energy From 1 January 2020, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) introduced the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), to fill the void left by FITs. In fact, the technology included by this incentive is the same as under the FIT scheme. But the two initiatives are very different. The new scheme is focused only on remuneration for renewable energy exported to the National Grid. The new mechanism ensures small-scale generators, such as citizens with a PV system, are paid at least a minimum fee for energy fed into the Grid. With FITs, tariffs were fixed as they were decided and paid by the Government; now, under the SEG, any energy company with at least 150,000 customers must offer a tariff, but each is free to set the rate. Smaller suppliers can offer a fee on a voluntary basis. The only limitation imposed by the Government is that offers must always be greater than £0. The economic savings associated with solar PV remain, of course. Customers with PV panels will still have the opportunity to lower their electricity bill by self-consuming the energy generated on-site. However, without the generation tariff there is no real opportunity to quickly offset the initial investment. For instance, according to the Energy Saving Trust, if you live in London, your overall saving drops from £375 – £515 to £300 – £390 depending on when you spend time at home. So the payback you can get from SEG increases. There is some good news. Currently, some suppliers are offering 5 to 5.6 p/kWh, exceeding the FITs export tariff (5.24 p/kWh). The other good news is that SEG payments must be calculated using Export Meter Readings. This method allows people to precisely measure the amount of energy they feed into the grid and be paid exactly for that amount. The best way to measure export energy is by installing a smart meter, capable of reading data instantly. This new scenario is similar to that in Italy: the Public Energy Service Provider (GSE) pays the owner of PV panels a tariff for the energy fed into the grid, but this incentive varies on the location of the installation and the time of day when energy is exported. In the Italian context, government incentives for extra energy are no longer attractive, because from this year Energy Communities are allowed. This new opportunity, very similar to British Community Energy, or at least to some of these initiatives, allows members to maximise self-consumption, also thanks to energy storage systems, but especially by sharing energy with other members of their community, at a fair price defined on a peer-to-peer basis and guaranteed by a private contract. In conclusion, as the new scenario for solar PV grants and incentives is no longer as attractive as it was, the solution to gain greater profits from this sustainable choice is by joining the Regalgrid platform and installing a SNOCU unit, allowing you to join an Energy Community project and share energy with others in compliance with the EU directive. Adopting this new approach to renewable energy gives new meaning to the abbreviation “PV”: which now not only stands for “photovoltaic”, but also for “point of view”, with a more informed and self-aware perspective being adopted relative to energy consumption, and one which is open to sharing not just renewables.

The Australian energy situation is different from any other and has specific characteristics. Let’s look at some facts about solar energy. #1 Australia’s solar radiation is the highest in the world This continent has the highest solar radiation per square metre in the world: solar radiation per year is an average of 58 million PJ (Peta Joules), 10 k time more than Australian energy consumption. This is a great asset for solar energy generation and particularly in this phase of implementation of renewable energy. #2 Australian rooftops with solar PVs continue to increase According to the last Clean Energy Australia Report 2019, in 2018 the residential sector grew by 43% with 1.55 GW of systems installed over that year and an average system size of 7.13 kW. By the end of 2018, with 218,195 new installations Australia reached over 2 million households with solar PV, meaning one in five Australian families benefits from a PV system. And these figures are set to increase further. According to SunWiz, at the end of 2019 another 2.13 GW of small-scale solar systems were installed, bringing the residential total to 10 GW. Rooftops with solar panels reached 2.25 million. #3 Solar PV distribution changes by state in Australia The percentage of solar rooftops is 20.3% and distribution across Australia is very patchy: Western Australia: 280k installations with a capacity of 7.9 GW Northern Territory: 11k installations with a capacity of 71 MW Queensland: 592k installations with a capacity of 2.3 GW New South Wales: 450k installations with a capacity of 1.8 GW Victoria: 372k installations with a capacity of 1.5 GW South Australia: 240k installations with a capacity of 970 MW Tasmania: 33k installations with a capacity of 132 kW #4 Solar reached 5.2% of the Australian total energy mix Renewable energy generation in that year reached 21% of total power generation, the highest peak ever. The main renewable source was hydroelectric (7.5%) with generation of 17,002 GWh. The other sources were: Wind: 7.1% (16,171 GWh) Small-scale solar PV, up to 100 kW: 4.2% (9,452 GWh) Bioenergy: 1.5% (3,412 GWh) Large-scale solar PV, over 5 MW: 0.8% (1,875 GWh) Medium-scale solar PV, between 100 kW and 5 MW: 0.2% (367 GWh) Solar reached 5.2% of the total power generation and 24.3% of renewable energy generation. #5 Government rebates support the growth of solar generation This growth was possible thanks to Government rebates in the form of the RET (Renewable Energy Target) and FiT (Feed-in Tariff). The Renewable Energy Target (RET) is a Federal Government policy aimed at reducing CO2 emissions in the energy sector, encouraging residents and businesses to generate energy from more sustainable and renewable sources. The incentive has the goal of delivering a 23.5% share for renewables in Australia’s electricity mix by 2020. This policy allows both large-scale stations and small-scale systems to create certificates for every MWh of power generated. #6 The LRET supports achievement of national renewable generation goals The scheme dedicated to commercial systems over 100 kW is called the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) and must ensure 33,000 GWh from renewable sources by 2020. Big companies with high energy consumption need to fix an amount of energy that must come from RES (renewable energy sources). This is possible by purchasing large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) from accredited power stations such as solar or wind farms, and then annually submitting these certificates to the Clean Energy Regulator. This LGCs market continues until 2030, along with the obligation for high energy users, even though the LRET for 2020 was met early in September 2019. The Regulator announced that this was an astonishing accomplishment, considering that half of this energy was made since 2017 and that it was made possible by approval of the 148.5 MW Cattle Hill Wind Farm in Tasmania. #7 The SRES boosts residential and small commercial solar PV installation Meanwhile, the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) is an incentive for individuals and small businesses to install certified renewable energy systems up to 100 kW, such as: solar photovoltaic panels wind turbines hydroelectric systems solar water heaters heat pumps The owners obtain small-scale technology certificates (STCs), in a quantity defined by the amount of energy the system can produce, and their value stands at around $37.00. They can be sold to high energy users that have to submit them to the Regulator every three months. The certificates cover approximately 30% of a 5-kW system’s total cost, which is about $2000 to $3000. The SRES also expires in 2030 and a report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recommends abolishing them to reduce electricity costs. However, the Clean Energy Council is opposed to this because they are synonymous with high standards of safety and quality. #8 FiTs ensure payment for the extra energy fed into the grid A second rebate for residential RES system owners is the Feed-in Tariff, a credit for any amount of power exported back into the National power grid, usually set by energy retailers per kWh and paid on the electric bill. FiT schemes differ by state: under most, the minimum rate per kWh offered by energy retailers is fixed by regulations, except in New South Wales and Queensland where there is no minimum. Tariffs range between 6 and 30c/kWh, more often 7-16 cents/kWh. A general suggestion is to compare energy suppliers’ offers and get the best deal available. #9 Payback times depend on different factors Payback times depend on FiTs and other factors: Sunlight hours System cost and productivity Self-consumption Site characteristics For instance, a 5 kW PV system, as one of the most popular sizes, installed in any of the state capitals, has an average cost of $5250. The payback period varies from 2-3 years in Adelaide to 5-6 years in Darwin with an export rate at 50%. The payback period increases to 7 years for the same system installed in Hobart, with an export rate of 75% of energy generated. #10 Every Australian state Government can govern its own solar rebates The Government of every state sets its solar rebates and incentives: Australian Capital Territory has a low-income solar programme and offers grants for energy storage Queensland has interest-free loans and grants for solar PV panel and storage Victoria offers solar PV and thermal panel rebates South Australia runs a home battery scheme with higher subsidies for low-income #11 Climatic conditions harm the Australian electricity grid Weather conditions such as bushfires and strong wind and rain down the East Coast last February placed grid stability at risk, affecting cables, substations and connectors, and causing blackouts for thousands of homes. The areas struck hardest by these conditions are those less connected to the grid. #12 Australia is a resilient country and solar PV can help The climate puts Australia in a tough position, but the new decentralised grid vision and increasing energy storage system (ESS) implementation could broaden the future of the renewable energy sector and contribute to the stability and well-being of Australian citizens. This is the reason why energy storage and back up storage systems are spreading across the country and most of the states offer an incentive for their installation. Another way to reinforce the grid is to create microgrid systems that can support themselves without the power of the retailers. An example of this is Solar Communities, or Digital Energy Communities, where the public grid allows participants to share energy amongst them, increasing self-consumption of energy generated and stored locally. In this scenario, members will be able to avoid blackouts during extreme weather events that interrupt the national electricity supply, or even cut off the connection to the main grid. The entire energy community can be independent nearly all of the time.

The Italian state has long been attentive to the production of sustainable energy to meet the national objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. For this reason, it has provided for an incentive for photovoltaics which is configured as a tax advantage that helps citizens to amortize and reduce the cost of installing a photovoltaic system and is a proactive stimulus in the choice of switching to energy from RES (Sources of Renewable Energy) for domestic consumption. This fiscal aid in fact supports the purchase of a photovoltaic system, an investment that pays for itself over time both economically and in terms of the carbon footprint of your home, thanks to its life cycle superior to any other product of human ingenuity. . Specifically, the installation of a photovoltaic system with storage is a fundamental action to achieve energy independence from fossil fuel sources, especially when combined with participation in an energy community for the collective self-consumption of energy. But accessing tax deductions is only the last step to save thanks to photovoltaics. To maximize the return on your investment, you must first be aware of your consumption habits and therefore your needs and then proceed with the installation of the most suitable system for you at a sustainable cost. Regalgrid can be your faithful ally in every part of this journey, first of all by allowing you to know your consumption in detail thanks to its SNOCU, and later, after installation, even enabling you as members of a digital energy community. Only at this point can you act as conscious actors in the world of digital energy and request the tax deductions you are entitled to.   Budget Law 2020: deductions for photovoltaics confirmed The 2020 Budget Law of 30/12/2019 extends Home Bonuses active already during 2019 in the field of energy efficiency until 31 December 2020. Among these we find the Restructuring Bonus, the tax deduction identified by the DPR 917/86 art. 16.bis, intended for restoration, conservative rehabilitation and renovation of one’s home, including interventions for energy saving and the use of renewable energy sources. For the installation of photovoltaic solar systems in the home, the tax benefits provided for by the legislation consist of a 50% personal income tax deduction, which also include any energy storage device.   The conditions of the tax deductions for photovoltaics Anyone who possesses the requirements will be able to obtain tax relief for photovoltaics by 31 December 2020: before applying for them, it is better to know the requirements and conditions. In fact, there is a maximum allowable spending limit of 96,000 euros for each real estate unit (the single property plus all its appurtenances) for work undertaken at home. Furthermore, the personal income tax refund will take place in 10 years. This means that the Revenue Agency will return you half of the amount you spent, through an annual tax reduction. How much is the annual repayment? Divide the amount spent in half and then divide it by 10; or more simply: Annual tax deduction = investment / 20 Added to this is also the reduced 10% VAT on the works carried out for the photovoltaic system. But let’s see the characteristics necessary to access this state subsidy.   Who can apply for the 2020 Restructuring Bonus for photovoltaics In the field of renewable sources, anyone who has installed starting from 1 January 2020 is entitled to tax incentives: a domestic installation of photovoltaic panels of less than 20 kW or expanded an existing system; the storage system, at the service of a domestic system not incentivized by the Energy Account. The facility is aimed at individuals who have incurred these restructuring costs and who are subject to IRPEF, the personal income tax. To apply, the applicant must meet one of the following conditions: Being the owner of the residential property on which the intervention was carried out Be the holder of a lease or loan for use Being a family member of the owner or tenant Being a cohabitant more uxorio of the owner / tenant. It is essential to underline that members of an energy community can access the Restructuring Bonus for their photovoltaic system and / or for the storage system.   Expenses deductible with the Restructuring Bonus for photovoltaics The deductible expenses are all those that allow you to have a “turnkey” photovoltaic system: Purchase of components Cost of labor for installation Design expenses Costs of appraisals, inspections and authorizations VAT   How to get the IRPEF deduction for photovoltaics To obtain the deductions of the House Bonus defined for the installation of the photovoltaic system, it is necessary to notify ENEA (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) within 90 days from the date of completion of the works. How? By registering on the portal to request concessions for building renovations, entering your data, property data (location, cadastral data, property …) and data on the type of intervention carried out. Here is a short guide from ENEA that will explain how to do it. Subsequently, in the tax return you will have to deliver: Receipts of payments (made by bank transfer) Invoices for the purchase of goods and materials for the plant Municipal authorizations Owner Consent Statement   Is photovoltaic part of the Ecobonus? The answer is unequivocal: no. The Ecobonus is applied to solar thermal panels (called collectors) for the production of heat or if you decide to connect a heat pump to your photovoltaic system. In that case, only the heat pump will enjoy the 65% tax advantage and will allow you to reduce your air conditioning and heating costs. If you want to know more and have clear ideas, at this link you can find a poster with all the facilities dedicated to your home for 2020. Being aware of your rights and the possibilities related to photovoltaics will make you active members of the world of energy and digital energy communities, independent but involved.

In Italy, the diffusion of photovoltaics began in the 1970s: the first system was installed in 1979 at the Mandriola Pass. However, we have to wait until the 90s for a massive diffusion of photovoltaics, which was then further facilitated by the first state incentives, the so-called Conto Energia, starting from the 2000s. The numbers acquired greater significance towards 2009, the year of the European Directive first objectives in terms of production and consumption of energy from renewable sources (2009/28 / EC). Since then, the spread of solar panels has never stopped and the trend continues to be positive even after 15 years. This has thus become a decisive factor for the formation of the Energy Communities approved also in Italy last March 2020. Regalgrid has always supported and believed in photovoltaics and, with a far-sighted look, in sharing energy. For this reason, while photovoltaics entered the homes of Italians, it worked incessantly on advanced algorithms and technologies that would allow a leap into the future of digital energy and the decentralized distribution model based on smart grids. But before talking about the future based on virtual infrastructures, let’s see the state of the art of the physical technologies of photovoltaics. Here are some data in detail.   Renewable energies in Italy The diffusion of Energy Communities in Italy officially started on March 1, 2020, with the conversion into law of the Milleproroghe Decree, a first milestone on the road towards the implementation of the European Directive RED II which will take place by 2021. But Italy has been attentive and active in the production and consumption of energy from renewable sources since much earlier. In the electricity sector, GSE data show in 2005 a share of energy from RES equal to 16.3% of gross domestic consumption, which reached 33.4% in 2014, the year in which Italy exceeded the National Overall Target 2020 (which includes electricity, heat and transport consumption) 6 years in advance, reaching 17.1%. Since that year, both overall and electrical consumption of energy from renewable sources have continued to grow. The latest official data of the GSE reports refer to 2018, the year in which 21.6 Mtoe (Mega ton of oil equivalent) of energy from renewable sources were consumed, in terms of CFL (gross final consumption), equal to 17.8% of total consumption. Exceeding Germany and France in this clean consumption, Italy is third in Europe behind Spain and the UK. Electricity consumption of clean energy in that year reached 33.9%; Gross electricity production from renewables also increased: 9,683 Mtoe which exceeded the production target of 2020. The renewable energy source that has contributed most to reaching this production quota of electricity is the normalized hydraulic one with 42% of the total energy produced by RES; this is followed by solar photovoltaics with 20%. Bioenergy (17%), wind (16%) and geothermal (5%) also contribute.   Photovoltaic systems installed in Italy According to statistic data, Italy is the leading country in the world for the consumption of electricity produced by photovoltaic panels and the second in Europe for the size of the photovoltaic sector, behind Germany. Between 2009 and 2018, the number of systems installed has more than tenfolded, going from 76,593 units to 822,301, and the number will continue to grow also thanks to state tax breaks. The residential sector with approximately 670,124 systems installed overall in 2018, followed by the tertiary sector with approximately 90,000 systems, gives greater boost to the growth of photovoltaics. Installed capacity has therefore been increasing steadily since 2012, reaching a peak of 20.12 GW in 2018. By dividing the plants in relation to the size, the total installed power is divided into: >3 kW: 279.681 plants 760 MW 3-20 kW: 476.396 plants for a total power of 3,5 GW 20-200 kW: 54.209 plants to 4,2 GW 200 kW-1 MW: 10.878 plants to 7,4 GW 1-5 MW: 948 plants to 2,3 GW of power 5-10 MW: 146 plants to 1,1 GW More than 10 MW: 43 plants to 896 MW At the end of 2018 plants up to 20 kW made up 90% of those installed and 21% of the total power. A figure destined to grow starting this year, given the possibility of joining the Energy Community and collectively self-consuming energy. In the same way and for the same reason, the choice of connection with the public network, which is the only way authorized by the Milleproroghe decree to exchange clean energy, is destined to be confirmed. The number of connected plants already represented almost all plants in Italy in 2018: 97.5% to the low voltage network; 2.5% at medium voltage (56.9% of total power); very few plants, which do not even reach a percentage point, at high voltage with a power of 6.4% of the total.   Self-consumption from photovoltaic systems In 2018, the self-consumption of the energy produced by each family with its own solar photovoltaic system was 38%, while the remaining 61% of production was paid into the network using mechanisms such as on-site exchange. The percentage of self-consumed energy is destined to increase: first of all due to the increasing diffusion of storage systems that help individual self-consumption, and, starting this year, thanks to the Energy Communities, which support an electricity consumption model based on collective self-consumption. The “large and centralized” energy model is in fact giving way to the “small and distributed” one: Italy is slowly embracing the concept of smart grid which reflects the intention of the RED II European Directive to push people to collective self-consumption both instantaneous and deferred, in a vision of community collaboration enabled by nodes as allowed by SNOCUs and by intelligent algorithms such as those of the Regalgrid® energy platform.   The spread of photovoltaics in the Italian regions The distribution of the plants in Italy is very diversified. Although the southern regions are those that enjoy the best irradiation and therefore potentially more productive, the highest concentration of plants is in the north (about 55%). The remainder is divided between South (28%) and Center (17%). The two regions with the highest number of photovoltaic systems are the Lombardy region with 120,699 plants (15.2%) and the Veneto with 110,059 (13.9%). At the provincial level, the 2017 distribution is confirmed: Rome is the first province for the number of panels installed (3.9% of the national total) followed by Treviso and Brescia (3.2%). Speaking instead of total installed power, Puglia contributes the most, with 13.2% followed by Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Piedmont. Production reflects the distribution of power: Puglia is the first region for energy production with 3,438 GW (15.5% of the national total). Followed by Lombardy with 2,252 GWh (9.6%) and Emilia-Romagna with 2,187 GWh (9.5%). As for the choice of the type of panels, polycrystalline silicon ones prevail in all regions, followed by monocrystalline ones. Thin film panels are not very common.   The renewable municipalities At the local level it is necessary to underline the presence of photovoltaic panels in most municipalities, but above all how the “renewable municipalities” are increasing more and more, that is, those municipalities that are able to fully cover their needs with energy from renewable sources. The municipalities also powered with clean energy in 2018 were 3,054. In these situations, the Public Administrations very often need to create self-supporting microgrids, as in the case of public lighting or some municipal structures with several adjacent buildings. The support and presence of Regalgrid also in this case is essential to orchestrate the various assets on the network thanks to SNOCUs with storage or prosumer licenses. Even more avant-garde for 2018 were those 41 municipalities fully supported by RES also for the needs of families. These two numbers will continue to increase, especially now with the possibility of creating energy communities that help each other in offsetting consumption and optimize resources.

Solar panels are the key to playing an active role in the production of renewable energy and in the energy revolution that has been developing in recent years. Do you want to understand how photovoltaic panels function and transform the sun’s energy into clean electricity to power your home? Let’s take a look at how solar energy is generated step by step.   How does a solar panel work? First of all, “solar panel” is a broad term. It can refer to two different kinds of system: photovoltaic (PV) solar panels: their primary function is to produce electricity, but they can also produce thermal energy if combined with a latest-generation heat pump; thermal solar panels: these allow thermal energy production by increasing the temperature of a liquid, usually water, which flows from the panels on the rooftop to the domestic heating system. The former is the most popular for domestic installation. A photovoltaic panel consists of many photovoltaic cells connected to each other: it is the photovoltaic unit that turns sunlight into electricity. Photons, the “particles” provided with energy from the electromagnetic waves of sunlight, stimulate silicon atoms, which release electrons and thus generate an electrical flux. How? A photovoltaic cell is typically a multilayer silicon unit capable of transforming and conducting energy thanks to the opposite charges generated by the photovoltaic effect in the semimetal. Solar panel manufacturers are able to create this effect thanks to doped silicon, a semiconductor material modified by small amounts of atoms of other materials that can provide a positive or negative electrical charge for each side of the unit. The two materials most commonly used to dope silicon in a common photovoltaic cell are: phosphorus, in the upper layer of silicon: this has a negative charge, so it adds more electrons to the layer boron, in the lower layer: this generates fewer electrons and therefore contributes to achieving and maintaining a positive charge when the solar cell is exposed to sunlight. The doped silicon therefore allows the creation of an electromagnetic field ready to receive sunlight. The photons, like billions of ping-pong balls, hit the panels and excite the free electrons in the cell; the electric field created in the panel pushes these excited electrons out of the silicon unit towards the grid. The typically silver metal plates, placed on the sides of the solar cell, capture the electrons as electrical energy, transferring them via electrical wiring. Of course, there are different cell structures and architectures, but the basic principles of operation are common to all. Solar panels generate DC (direct current) electricity, which is transformed into AC (alternating current) at the appropriate voltage by the system’s inverter. In this form, the electricity generated by a PV solar system can be used directly in the homes and businesses connected to the solar panels or fed into the national grid. Have a look at our article to find out which are the most effective methods to manage excess energy.   The advantages of solar power and solar panels Solar panels and photovoltaic cells offer many advantages to energy users, whether they supply homes or business.   Installation Solar panels can be very quickly installed in a wide range of locations. It is quite common to see them on the roofs of country properties, but also in residential neighbourhoods or urban centres, e.g. on the roofs of apartment buildings that can share the benefits of these systems. In addition, the installation of solar panels is not intrusive, because it does not alter the aesthetic appearance of your home.   Safety Solar panels can be considered very safe: since they are mostly composed of single silicon units connected to each other, there is no danger of leakage or emission of toxins or fumes. In addition, photovoltaic panels produce electricity without generating noise pollution: this is an important advantage when thinking about clean energy.   Duration and maintenance Solar panels have a long service life and require very little maintenance. It is important to clean them periodically (depending on pollution levels in the area) and keep them free from dirt.   Disposal If you want to decommission the system at the end of its life cycle, in the case of a non-integrated system everything will be exactly as before in no time. In the case of a partially roof-integrated system, it will simply be necessary to restore the roofing tiles. Read more in our article on integrated photovoltaics. In any case, panels can be disposed of in a completely sustainable way and without any impact on the environment.   Energy saving Of course, solar panels can reduce electricity bills in the short term, and they become an excellent source of energy and long-term economic return when the cost of purchasing and installing solar cells is refunded. Solar panels guarantee the user a continuous energy supply when the sun is shining, a benefit that continues even when it is cloudy because the panels also capture diffused sunlight.   Storage and sharing Last but not least, solar energy users need to consider storing electricity and distributing it to neighbours or feeding it into the national grid. The production of energy in excess of their own consumption offers the possibility to accumulate energy with a storage system for times when the system is not able to produce it, such as at night. Whether you are equipped with a storage system or not, it is also possible, with the help of Regalgrid, to share this energy with other consumers within your Energy Community thanks to a smart grid for decentralised energy distribution. Find out how it works by reading our article on smart grids. This also helps those who cannot install a system due to the cost or a lack of space, offering an alternative energy source to fossil fuels. Sunlight is an unlimited energy source and is also “green”, as it does not release pollution into the air. Understanding how a photovoltaic system works and the benefits of producing and sharing clean energy within a localized energy model allows you to jump to a future that has already begun: a digital energy future, as promoted by Regalgrid.

Self-consumption and energy self-sufficiency are two concepts that together form the basis of an energy community. In fact, that which is lacking with individual self-consumption in order to reach energy independence can be provided by collective self-consumption, achieved by sharing energy between equals. Self-consumption is the consumption of energy produced by your own photovoltaic system and represents the starting point for energy self-sufficiency. The latter is a synonym of energy independence and refers to autonomy from the national electricity grid and the energy that it supplies, still currently generated primarily from non-renewable sources. However, if we look closely at all the different aspects of self-consumption, we realise that in certain settings, it may in itself become synonymous with energy self-sufficiency. The three aspects of self-consumption are: Instantaneous self-consumption Deferred self-consumption Collective self-consumption To reach complete energy self-sufficiency, however, a step-by-step approach is required. First of all adopting a more responsible approach to energy consumption. Here are some practical tips to consider straight away in order to maximise energy self-consumption and reduce waste.   #1 Monitoring your consumption is the key to energy self-sufficiency Information feeds understanding: monitoring and analysis of energy-consumption data represent the first step towards more responsible and sustainable actions. How? Firstly, you can identify habits and consumption peaks for calculation and scheduling of energy production. Secondly, monitoring allows you to identify wastage: paying attention to domestic appliances that use a lot of power because they are out of date, and to excessive residual consumption of all household appliances while they are on stand-by.   #2 Avoiding wastage is essential for independence Avoiding careless consumption and concentration within the same periods of the day demonstrates a sense of responsibility. The first step is to eliminate obvious wastage: Lights on with no reason Power and standby lights on appliances Fridges set to excessively low temperatures Boilers on with no reason Thermostats set to excessively high temperatures Air conditioners at freezing temperatures Regarding the last three points, remember that 20°C is more than sufficient for a good level of comfort in the home. Next, it is necessary to adopt new habits on the basis of monitoring data: remove plugs when appliances are not in use (or install multi-way socket adapters with a power switch), set certain devices that remain in stand-by to power down automatically or programme start-up of heating at an appropriate time to reach the desired temperature at the right time of day.   #3 Actions supporting energy efficiency At the same time, solutions can be adopted to support energy savings. Firstly, there are those of a more structural nature, if you are having work done in the home or are able to make some improvements: Check and improve thermal insulation around the home. Install large windows to make the most of the natural light. Choose windows with thermal or insulating glass. If you need to replace an appliance, purchase smart models with low energy consumption. There are also steps than can be taken immediately: If all of your domestic appliances are in good condition, you can install a Regalgrid® SNOCU unit to monitor them and view your consumption in real time. Close shutters and balconies at nightfall to keep in heat. Do not leave windows and doors open if you have the heating switched on. This may seem obvious, but it can happen, particularly if you have a pet and a garden. If you do, it is best to have a dog door fitted or leave a tilting window open for your cat, preferably in the room which is heated the least. #4 Correct sizing of photovoltaic system and storage units permits independence To achieve energy self-sufficiency more easily, you need to have a photovoltaic system and a storage unit of the right dimensions for your requirements, within your available budget. This is why the monitoring data mentioned above is so essential. It certainly isn’t possible to buy a storage system with the total capacity required for your household. Currently, this would require too great a cost and would take up too much space. However, with an appropriately sized storage unit for your consumption, you could reduce bills by up to 65-70%.   #5 Self-consumption increases with energy self-sufficiency To achieve energy independence, we have mentioned that it is necessary to be a member of a digital energy community. Currently, in the majority of cases energy independence is approached with installation of a photovoltaic system (making you a prosumer) and a storage system (making you a proconstomer, i.e. a prosumer with a storage system). In such cases, your bill can be greatly reduced. Once you have offset the cost of the system, the only amount you have to pay is for energy not covered by instantaneous and deferred self-consumption. These two approaches can be paired with collective self-consumption, which provides for the remainder of your energy demand, allowing total energy self-sufficiency, abandoning the net-metering system. Meanwhile, if you are a member of the community solely as a consumer, you can contribute to collective self-consumption by purchasing all or a portion of the renewable energy generated by other members who are prosumers or stored by members with storage systems (storers). The advantage here will be lower-priced energy. In an ideal world, the perfect solution would be to immediately consume all energy produced by your system: location of production and consumption correspond, eliminating wastage during the transport and storage phases. However, energy exchange in a smart community allows you to achieve the same result overall: also consuming energy produced by others immediately, with minimal transport distances.   #6 Generating heat using photovoltaic power contributes to independence from traditional sources To reach a new level of energy independence, you can connect the photovoltaic system to a latest-generation heat pump, creating a hybrid solution that allows heating and cooling of your home and savings on your gas bill. Energy self-sufficiency is therefore the new approach to energy consumption. The essential ingredients are an awareness that leads to a new “quality” of consumption and the decision to play a part in the true energy revolution offered by smart grids and digital energy communities.

Photovoltaic panels have a very long life cycle, making them one of the most durable technological assets. However, they still require some maintenance. Looking after them requires minimal effort, like any other typical home appliance or device, but this small amount of maintenance is important. There are two key reasons why maintenance is essential: to optimise the economic return on your initial investment, and above all to minimise the carbon footprint of our homes. Maintenance is even more important for installations in geographic locations with critical or extreme climatic conditions. Consider mountain areas with frequent snowfall during winter or coastal regions with high levels of salt in the air all year round and frequent sand residues after rainfall. Of course, these are two extreme cases, but they underline how each geographic area has specific features that affect the lifespan of solar panels. Wherever you live, a minimal commitment to regular solar panel maintenance will improve energy performance and extend the system’s life.   Monitoring the system: the best preventive maintenance possible After installing your system, perhaps also with a storage unit, the first step is to track its activity. A system to monitor consumption such as that enabled by the SNOCU unit from Regalgrid combined with an appropriate management programme will not only inform you of energy self-consumption levels, but will also indicate the yield of your system and monitor the status of any storage units you have installed. The Regalgrid® platform cloud allows recording of data day after day and creation of a log that simplifies assessment of system health. This means you can always be sure that your solar panels are working properly without going up onto the roof yourself to check them. Monitoring is therefore a useful tool to understand the yield of your system and identify the best time to carry out routine maintenance, but also to understand when special maintenance actions are required, such as: replacement of a component due to unexpected weather damage the need to increase system power installation or development of the storage system. What does routine maintenance of solar panels involve? Routine maintenance can be divided into two categories: checking components and cleaning. The checking phase is made easier by your system monitoring activity. Based on the data gathered, a qualified technician will verify: the integrity of modules anchorage of modules to the support structure cabling, electrical panels and transformers inverter operation charging capacity of storage units operation of the remote monitoring system. Next, routine cleaning of the system will be performed. Leaves, dust and micro-dusts, pollen and similar materials are periodically deposited on the panels, reducing their capacity to absorb light and in turn lowering optimum yield. Rain and wind can reduce these deposits, but they are not sufficient alone to eliminate all material. It is therefore generally recommended to perform cleaning at least once a year: before the sunny months or when the SNOCU reports a drop in yield. If your home is located in an area with a challenging climate or high levels of pollution, modules will need to be cleaned more frequently.   How are solar panels cleaned? If the panels are in a safe and accessible location, you can perform a visual check of the modules yourself and then proceed with cleaning using water and a non-abrasive sponge to avoid scratching the glass plates. It is important to dry the modules to avoid water marks, as these can affect yield. If there is stubborn dirt, you can also use an antistatic detergent that creates a very thin protective film. If you don’t feel confident about cleaning the panels yourself, or cannot access the installation, e.g. on a roof, you can use a specialised maintenance company. Often, the company that installed the panels will offer you a maintenance contract: if this is the case, ensure that it includes operating tests and annual cleaning by qualified technicians.   Routine maintenance costs The cost of routine maintenance performed by a specialised company can vary from $150 to $200 in Australia or £100-200 in the UK, depending on the type of system, its size and the condition of panels. Whatever the cost, you should view maintenance as a small annual investment that will guarantee greater savings in the long term. It seems clear that maintenance is essential for the health of your system, but it should not be viewed as an expensive burden: unlike traditional energy sources, photovoltaic energy is clean, meaning that routine maintenance is significantly less than that of your boiler, your car, and even your home appliances.

Installation of a photovoltaic system is certainly the smartest way to cut the cost of bills whilst also reducing carbon emissions. For those who have already decided to go down this route, it is important to complete certain crucial steps for solar-panel installation, to guarantee a properly functioning and legally-compliant system. The first prerequisite for installation is that you are the owner of the property or you have authorisation from the owner.   Technical assessment It is essential to consult a qualified technical expert that will guide you through project development. Your technical consultant will perform an assessment and identify the main features of your property. Precise criteria have to be met to ensure feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the installation: Roof orientation: a south-facing direction is ideal for solar panel installation on a pitched roof. South-east and south-west facing roofs can also be considered: yields will be lower, but still good. Increased irradiance is also achieved with optimal roof inclination, ideally between 30° and 35° at Italy’s latitude. Obstacles to irradiance: there must not be any obstacles present in the trajectory of solar rays that may cast shadows and compromise the system’s yield. Roof dimensions: the maximum size of panels is determined by the usable surface area. Generally speaking, a 3 kW system requires around 20 m2, but your technical consultant will advise you on the best set-up for your needs. Environmental or visual-impact restrictions: your technical consultant may advise you to check whether the area you live in is subject to environmental or visual-impact restrictions. However, it is your responsibility to obtain further information from your local municipal authority. Designing the photovoltaic system Your technical consultant will consider the following when designing the system: Characteristics of your home Size of your household Consumption habits Budget Based on these factors, the consultant will introduce you to the various types of panels in monocrystalline or multicrystalline silicon or thin-film technologies using cadmium telluride, each with different yields and costs. Another important consideration is: how do you want to manage excess energy? There are two alternatives: you can either feed it back into the national electricity grid or store it. The second option gives you more independence, even at times when the system is unable to generate energy, by relying on a storage system. This type of investment is becoming increasingly accessible to all users due to the reduction of prices and the presence of incentives and tax exemptions. You can specify to your technical consultant which type of system you would prefer: Stand alone/off-grid: not connected to the national electricity grid and equipped with a storage system (best suited for properties that are not already connected to the national grid). Grid connected: connected to the national grid, allowing excess energy to be fed back into the grid in return for a reimbursement on your utility bill, or to be shared with other members of your energy community. Mixed: the system is both connected to the grid and equipped with storage systems. This type of system allows both self-consumption of energy generated at any time of day, and also permits sharing of excess energy with other consumers connected to the same transformer substation, if you belong to an energy community. If you are happy with the design and quoted price, you can proceed by checking the authorisations required by your country regulation.   Installing the photovoltaic system At this point, you can proceed with installation. The company responsible, together with the designer, will carry out the following activities: Preparation of worksite and safety measures Installation of support structures and photovoltaic modules Installation of inverter, electrical panel and storage system. If you already intend to share your energy with others, perhaps with your neighbours, this is the time to install a controller such as Regalgrid’s SNOCU for: Real-time monitoring and management of incoming and outgoing energy flows Optimisation and set-up of automatic management for charging and discharging cycles of the storage system Active control of all interconnected devices Wiring and testing of the photovoltaic system. You can now go ahead and submit a request to the grid operator for connection to the national grid.   What to do after the installation It is important to remember that a photovoltaic system has an extremely long lifespan compared to other technology. Annual maintenance helps to keep the modules in good condition, providing a more stable yield. The Regalgrid controller will help you to keep track of yields, better managing energy and monitoring consumption.

The disposal of solar panels is an issue that does not seem to concern us immediately, but it is good to start inquiring to know how to deal with the issue in the future, even if still far away. In fact, Italy is only at the beginning of the journey in the use of solar energy: almost all the systems have been installed in the last fifteen years and, knowing that the panels have an average life of 25 years, their disposal seems a matter procrastinable. But technology in the renewable energy sector is always evolving and, thanks to a reduction in costs and an increase in the efficiency of the new panels, the replacement of modules is sometimes the best solution. If you are thinking of disposing of your photovoltaic (or solar) panels, first of all you must know that all the materials that compose them are highly recyclable: mainly composed of glass and aluminum, these modules are broken down into various materials by companies specialized in their disposal, arriving at 95% recycling. Precisely to ensure this re-circulation of precious raw materials, it is necessary to ensure that they are disposed of properly. First of all, it is necessary to identify in which disposal category our solar system falls. In fact, once their life cycle is over, the panels become waste and fall into the WEEE category, that is Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment, in grouping n ° 4 (R4). Subsequently, in order to evaluate costs and methods of disposal, other factors must be considered that depend on the characteristics of the system itself: Nominal power; Installation date; Government incentives. Domestic and professional photovoltaic panels The power of the system determines the category to which it belongs and, indirectly, the method of disposal. When the rated power is less than 10kW we are dealing with a domestic system. If, on the other hand, the power is greater than 10kW, we are talking about a professional system, even if it is owned by a natural person. In the case of a domestic system, disposal must be carried out by the owner at the reference WEEE Collection Center, which can be traced through the official website of the Coordination Center. Disposal is the responsibility of the manufacturer, so for the owner it is free of charge. In the case of a professional plant, disposal is regulated by the WEEE / 2014 legislation.   WEEE regulation of 2014 for the disposal of professional plants The 2014 WEEE legislation, which supplements the 2012 European Directive, identifies two different methods of disposal depending on the installation date of the professional photovoltaic system. In detail: Systems installed before 12 April 2014: in this case, the cost of disposal falls to the owner. However, as with all other WEEE, there is the opportunity to use the “One Against One” collection: this means that, if you decide to buy a new system, the manufacturer of the new one will have to deal with the disposal of the old. Photovoltaic systems installed after 12 April 2014: in this case the cost of disposal is borne by the manufacturer, so there will be no expense for the owner. In any case, the photovoltaic WEEE must be delivered to a special treatment plant registered with the WEEE Coordination Center, through an authorized person.   Energy bill Italy If you have purchased the plant using a state incentive, the Energy Account, the Electricity Service Manager (GSE) also comes into play in the management of the disposal, which granted the incentive. As a preventive measure, during the last 10 years of entitlement to the incentive, the GSE will withhold a sum directly from the amount paid, to cover the proper management of waste from these panels. If you prove that you have properly disposed of the system, the fee will be returned to you in a single solution. For this reason, disposal must be promptly communicated to GSE, with the form “declaration of successful delivery of the WEEE deriving from the photovoltaic panel incentivized in the Conto Energia”. This communication must be sent to the GSE even in the case of replacement of a single module, so the manager will update the count of the amounts withheld. The amount is € 12 / panel for domestic systems and € 10 / panel for professional systems. This procedure is applied according to art. 40 of Legislative Decree. 49/2014 to all photovoltaic panels for which one of the following incentives has been activated: I, II, III Energy Account (period 2005-2010); IV Conto Energia, for photovoltaic plants and architecturally integrated photovoltaic systems (BiPV), installed until 06.2012, and all concentrating plants; V Conto Energia, only for photovoltaic systems installed up to 30.06.2012, all BiPV systems and concentrating systems; Plants that are not included in this list are regulated by the Technical Regulations of the GSE of December 2012. We therefore refer to: IV Conto Energia, with regard to plants which came into operation from 1 July 2012, excluding concentration plants; V Conto Energia, for plants that came into operation from 1 July 2012, excluding concentration plants and BiPV plants. In these cases there is an agreement between the producers and the consortia involved, for the management of the photovoltaic WEEE, which attributes the responsibility for proper disposal to the producer. For this reason, there is no deduction from incentives.

PV panels lifespan makes their installation really convenient. Normally, a PV system is guaranteed for 25 years of “useful life”: This longevity is not comparable to any other power generator, neither solar thermal system, which has a lifespan of 15 years. A long lifespan allows the system to pay for itself, both in terms of costs and carbon footprint, by supporting a virtuous circle of clean and sustainable energy generation. The plant placed on Volcano Island has been the first demonstration of PV durability. It was installed almost 30 years ago, it is still working and supplying the electricity needs of the island. After 20 years from its activation, its production decreased only by 6%. We must specify what we mean by duration: solar panels can generate energy for a very long time, but the duration we refer to is the “useful life”, meaning the period during which it is convenient to let the system work, namely the timeframe when the generated energy and the related saving cover the operating and maintenance costs.   Which factors affect solar panels durability? Duration of panels and proper functioning are affected by several factors: First of all, the absence of mechanical parts reduces the average daily wear. The transmission of energy through silicon of cadmium telluride is a process where the decay of materials is minimal and quantifiable: each photovoltaic cell has an annual power decrease of 1%, 0.7% in case of polysilicon and 1,5% in case of thin film solar panels. The level of ordinary maintenance surely weights on the deterioration of panels. Dirt settled on photovoltaic modules reduces both their efficiency and duration. The geographic area where PV panels are installed is also very important. In many areas air pollution reaches a very high level, causing a risk for health and damages to structures. Fine dust settles inside each solar panel affecting their efficiency and duration. In seaside areas the problem is the salinity spread from the sea, which undermines the functioning of the PV system: although sea air is good for people’s health, in the long term it has a corrosive effect on some parts of the panels. Furthermore, due to the sea air, panel absorbent surface becomes matt. In both cases, ordinary maintenance can reduce the effects. In order to have a long-lasting system, meeting your expectation and optimizing energy generation especially during the maximum irradiation period, we suggest you to perform an annual cleaning and to track the performances of your panels to determine the best time to clean them.   Inverter lifespan Solar panels have such a long life, and it is hard for the inverters to keep up. Inverter, the beating heart of a photovoltaic system, transforms solar energy collected by the panels, inverting direct current into alternating current, the one used by the electrical system. Because of inverters key role, we should keep track of their performances: the best ones can live until 13 years. Normally after 10 years they reduce their performances, undermining the sustainability of the whole system. When you do your maths to buy a solar panels system, we suggest you to always consider an inverter replacement. Here too, duration is affected by several factors: wear conditions, no maintenance and a possible overheating.   Storage batteries lifespan As concerned the storage batteries, what mostly affects their deterioration is overloading: supplying electricity even when the battery is completely full will damage it, reducing its life. Still, there are other issues to be considered: maintenance, temperature and how batteries work (e.g.: inactivity days are deleterious), weather conditions. The best batteries on the market, the deep cycle lithium ions batteries, have shown during testing phase a potential duration of 7000 charging cycles, corresponding to almost 20 years, considering a charging cycle every day. In real using cases their lifespan stands at 12 years, consistent with the traditional product warranties, which normally cover 5 to 10 years of activity.

Installing a PV system means a lot in terms of environmental sustainability and protection, since it uses renewable energy to produce electricity. When approaching the world of sustainable energy, a question arises: which kind of system do we choose? This is not an easy answer, since each household has different features and different needs, however the most probable answer is: a PV system with battery storage. Let’s see what this is about and let’s discover the advantages of this kind of solar panel system.   PV system: general advantages The first general advantage resulting from the installation of solar panels is the cost reduction in electricity bill through self-consumption. This allows to reduce the consumption of electricity taken from the grid, avoiding taxes and transport costs of electricity included in the bill. Bills reduction is the immediate advantage. PV system clearly involves a rather consistent  installing investment, despite the solar panels market has experienced a cost reduction in the last few years. A 3Kw system, suitable for a family composed of 2 or 3 people, can cost 5.000 to 8.000 euros. Calculating how much you will save, the payback time will be 5 to 8 years, depending on the real solar irradiation where the panels are installed. This process improves with energy storage fitted systems.   How does a PV system with storage work? During the day your system will produce as much energy as the house needs or even more. With a traditional system the surplus electricity can be exported to the grid and paid back on the electricity bill. In case of a storage equipped system this surplus is stored in accumulators. With an accumulator it will be possible to use the electricity produced during daylight hours when the system can’t produce clean energy, such as during the night or on cloudy days. By implementing this solution you can drastically reduce – up to 50% (depending on the size of the accumulator) – the electricity taken from the grid and reducing the cost of electricity bill as a result. Battery storage systems are essential for those off-grid houses, which are not connected to the electrical grid, such as mountain lodges or buildings which are completely sustained by renewable sources because of the owner’s choices. Storage systems are particularly recommended for those families who installed solar panels spending most of the time outside during the day, using much more energy when it gets dark. Generally speaking they are always convenient when it is not possible to immediately use the produced solar energy. To check out if it is really convenient you can just read the meter: if the energy exported to the grid is higher or equal to the used energy, it is surely convenient to store it and use it later.   Which are the existing batteries for Solar panel systems? While speaking of PV systems the most commonly used battery types are the lead-acid batteries or the lithium-ion batteries. The former are less expensive, but they are very large and their expected lifespan is 2 to 5 years on average. The latter are more expensive, but they guarantee a higher reliability, they have a longer expected lifespan (from 10 to 12 years) and they are becoming a benchmark in this sector. There are other types of batteries rating themselves in the middle part on a scale of efficiency and cost. The nickel-cadmium batteries, they store energy at low temperature, but they have a low energy density, so they don’t keep a lot of energy in relation to their weight. Nickel-metal hydride batteries, they have a higher storage capacity compared to the previous ones, a longer lifespan and low maintenance costs.   How much does a solar battery storage system cost? The real cost difference on the PV investment concerns the accumulator, which adds up to the cost of the traditional system. The prices of solar energy accumulator may vary depending on storage capacity and type of battery. It is interesting to notice that prices are drastically falling, thanks to the interest shown by the mobility sector for the sustainable energy development. Lead-acid batteries cost between 2.500 and 4000 euros, nickel batteries between 3.000 and 5.000 euros and lithium-ion batteries between 4.000 and 6.000 euros. The total cost is higher than the cost of a traditional system, but the amortisation can be similar or even lower, when people make considered choices about their energy consumption and when they adopt all the necessary measures to maximise the yields of the system. In order to understand which is the most suitable solution, you clearly need to consider your household size, because this will define the volume and mode of energy consumption. Nevertheless, in order to have an optimised system and to make a savvy purchase we suggest you to get in contact with an independent consultant, or to become a Regalgrid® user and install the Regalgrid® SNOCU. This will allow you to immediately measure and exactly profile your consumption, granting you to choose the appropriate system with the right size of both photovoltaic generation and accumulator. This choice will give you in the future a better return on investment.