Photovoltaic Self-Consumption. Solar Panels Mallorca

Yes, but it’s essential to conduct a study of the consumer’s actual needs to ensure the installation is properly sized and that the generated energy is used as efficiently as possible, aiming for a profitable and sustainable model.

A standard solar photovoltaic panel with about 400 Wp peak power occupies approximately 2 m² and weighs about 18 kg. In installations flush with the roof, pergola, etc., the area occupied by the modules is almost the available surface area. On flat roofs, terraces, or ground installations with an inclined support structure, the area occupied would be approximately doubled due to the spacing between rows to avoid shadows.

Solar energy that is fed into the grid can be managed by obtaining compensation on the supply bill (simplified compensation). There is also the option to store excess solar energy in batteries for use when needed.

The integration of a battery system is always possible in a self-consumption system, whether in the short, medium, or long term.

Contrary to what might be expected, if the power supply from the utility company is interrupted, the self-consumption system will also stop.

If the distribution line loses power, the solar panels’ production cannot be fed into the grid. Safety for the maintenance personnel must be ensured.

If you want to cover this possibility, you should install storage batteries to provide more stability to the system.

Batteries are not mandatory; they are optional. It’s worth noting that adding batteries today can potentially double the cost of a conventional home installation.

The power of a self-consumption installation is regulated by law.

The power of your solar self-consumption installation in the Balearic Islands can exceed the contracted power, as long as it does not surpass the allowable power of the connection, which matches the current extension rights and has a maximum value certified by the electrical bulletin.

This allowable power of the connection corresponds to the current extension rights for a particular supply point. These extension rights can be equal to or greater than the contracted power.

You need to define the goal of your solar self-consumption installation to make this decision: what percentage of self-sufficiency you want to achieve, what level of energy independence it represents, what profitability you seek, what economic savings you want, etc..

Currently, the regulations allow for simplified and economic compensation of excess solar energy, meaning that the energy generated by the system that you do not use will be compensated on your electricity bill. Additionally, some electricity suppliers offer a virtual battery service, allowing you to carry over excess energy from one month to the next without losing it. This improves the utilization of surplus solar energy without the need for physical batteries in the installation.

Another way to make use of the excess energy from your solar self-consumption system in Mallorca is through thermal storage. It can be very interesting to combine your photovoltaic system with a heat pump system, as these two technologies work very well together.

Thermal storage can be done with a hot water accumulator, a underfloor heating system, etc. Even the building itself can be considered a large accumulator. If it has good insulation and the construction materials are suitable for storing cold or heat, you can avoid turning on the heating during hours when energy prices are high.

A self-consumption installation has excess energy when the consumer is unable to use all the energy generated at the time it is produced, resulting in surplus energy.

Direct self-consumption: This is the most efficient way to save on your electricity bill. It involves consuming the energy at the same time it is produced. Since the energy is generated by the solar panels, there is no cost.

In self-production, the hourly net balance is also applied, meaning that a balance is made each hour between the energy fed into the grid and the energy consumed from the grid. This balance is done at the end of each hour, and its result is applied to the bill.

Excess energy compensation (regulated by law): Depending on your contracted tariff, the price of compensation for excess energy can vary. The resulting price from simplified excess compensation will be at most the cost price of the used energy. Compensation is monthly.

If the amount of excess on a bill exceeds the amount of consumed energy, the difference will be non-compensated excesses. Some energy providers allow you to accumulate non-compensated excesses, generating discount rights that you can use on future bills.

With Solarta Balear, you can do this using the Monedero Solar or Virtual Battery, a tool created by Fenie Energía.

Indeed, there is a technical possibility to disconnect from the grid, and the desire to do so is fully understandable. However, the grid is a useful and efficient infrastructure that allows energy to be shared between supply points.

A disconnected electrical system, consisting of many isolated points, is inefficient. Energy cannot flow from one point to another and requires an overdimensioned capacity for generation and storage at each point to ensure electricity supply.

Therefore, it would be more interesting to collectively advocate for the proper functioning of distribution networks so that they truly serve and are in the hands of the citizens.

The purpose of self-consumption installations on the Balearic Islands should not be to disconnect from the grid, but to generate energy for direct consumption and feed surplus energy into the grid so that nearby consumers can use it.

If you want to “disconnect” from the grid, a good storage system is required to store the electricity so that it is available during times when energy cannot be generated.

The no-excess modality with compensation is only available for collective self-consumptions in buildings subject to the Horizontal Property Law (LPH). No energy is physically fed into the grid, but excess energy from one associated consumer is compensated on their bill and used by another consumer in the same building, who will pay for it as if they had bought it from the grid.

The hourly net balance is the net difference between the energy generated and fed into the grid and the energy used from the grid within an hour.

In other words, from each kWh of energy generated, not used, and fed into the grid, subtract one kWh of energy used from the grid during that same hour. If more energy is fed into the grid than consumed, the difference goes to the compensation mechanism. If consumption during a time period is higher than generation, there is no energy for compensation, and the kWh of consumption exceeding the kWh of generation are charged at the usual consumption price.

Simplified compensation in collective self-consumption modes works similarly to individual self-consumption, but there are two differences: an energy distribution coefficient must be assigned among participants, and a generation meter must be installed.

According to the agreed distribution, the portion of generated energy that each participant receives within an hour is calculated. The generated energy allocated to each participant (individualized net generation) is divided between the energy used (individualized self-consumed energy) and the energy not used (individualized excess energy), which can be compensated on their electricity bill.

Excess energy is that which has been generated by the photovoltaic panels and, as it is not used immediately, flows through the meter and is fed into the electricity distribution grid.

This energy is recorded by the meter in one-hour intervals. Based on the recorded values, two mechanisms are applied consecutively: first, the hourly net balance is applied, and at the time of billing, the simplified compensation for excess energy is applied.

The savings generated by each kWh of direct self-production (instantaneous self-consumption) are three times greater than those from a kWh of compensated energy. Therefore, the goal should always be to match the consumption time as closely as possible to the production time.

If you have a self-production system, your demand for energy from the grid will decrease, but it does not necessarily mean that you can reduce the contracted power.

To assess this, you must consider peak demand periods when you have no generation and the presence of batteries in the system.

You should review if you can limit your electrical demand during times of low or no energy generation: for example, if you have a photovoltaic installation in Mallorca, you should consider whether you can reduce your energy use at night or on cloudy days when production is nil or very low.

The presence of batteries or other storage systems in the installation influences this: having batteries makes it easier to reduce contracted power, as they can supply energy during periods without production.