For all this, we are going to see all the key factors that affect the time in which the investment in solar panels is recovered.<\/p>\n
Factors that influence the amortization of solar panels<\/h2>\n
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The amortization time of solar panels is not a fixed or universal figure. It depends on a combination of technical, economic and consumption habit variables, so we are going to see them all.<\/p>\n
Initial installation cost<\/h3>\n
The first factor, and the most obvious, is the total price of the photovoltaic installation. This includes the solar panels, the inverter, the support structure, the electrical installation, labor, legalization and paperwork. In Spain, a standard domestic installation usually ranges, today, between 4000 \u20ac and 9000 \u20ac<\/strong>, depending on the size and quality of the equipment.<\/p>\n Autonomous, state or European subsidies, together with income tax deductions and tax bonuses, can reduce the real cost of the installation between 20% and 50%<\/strong>, and even more in some cases. This means that an installation that initially cost 7000 \u20ac can be left at 4000 \u20ac or less. And of course, when the outlay is lower<\/strong>, the time in which the investment in solar panels is recovered is shortened considerably<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It is not just about how much energy your panels produce, but how much of that energy you consume directly. The higher your self consumption, the more electricity you stop buying from the marketer<\/strong>, and the faster you amortize the installation. For example:<\/p>\n An oversized installation can produce more energy than you really need, which lengthens the amortization period. Instead, an installation well adjusted to your real consumption is usually more economically efficient. This is where a good prior study<\/strong> comes into play, so that you do not fall short and do not go overboard either.<\/p>\n Solar radiation is not the same in all areas, and neither is the performance of the panels depending on how they are placed. There are factors that directly influence annual production. The greater the useful production, the greater the savings and the shorter the amortization time of solar panels. They are these:<\/p>\n Batteries allow you to store the energy you do not consume at the moment and use it later, for example, at night. Whether they will be interesting or not will depend a lot<\/strong>, because although they increase self consumption and reduce your dependence on the grid, they make the installation more expensive. In many cases, the battery slightly lengthens the period<\/strong> of amortization, although it improves self sufficiency and protects against increases in the price of electricity.<\/p>\n The more expensive electricity is, the more profitable self consumption is<\/strong>. With current electricity prices, every kWh you produce and consume is money that does not come out of your pocket. If in the future prices remain volatile or rising, solar installations are amortized even earlier than initially expected.<\/p>\n Although the ideal is to carry out a personalized study, you can make a rough calculation to know in how much time the investment in solar panels is recovered in your case. The basic formula would be this:<\/p>\n Amortization period = Real cost of the installation \/ Annual savings on the electricity bill<\/strong><\/p>\n Let us see it with a practical example:<\/p>\n Now let us calculate the annual savings<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Result: 4500 \u20ac \/ 850 \u20ac = 5.3 years approximately.<\/strong> That is to say, in just over five years you would have fully amortized your solar panels, and from then on everything they produce will be net savings. In addition, this calculation does not usually take into account future increases in the price of electricity, revaluations or environmental benefits, so in practice, the real amortization is usually even faster.<\/p>\n Below, I leave you an indicative table with different common scenarios. They are not exact figures, but they are very representative of the current market reality.<\/p>\nSubsidies and public aid<\/h3>\n
Self consumption level<\/h3>\n
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Installation size<\/h3>\n
Location, orientation and inclination<\/h3>\n
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Use of solar batteries<\/h3>\n
Electricity rates and electricity price<\/h3>\n
How to calculate my amortization period for solar panels<\/h2>\n
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Comparative table of prices and amortization periods in different scenarios<\/h2>\n
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\n \nInstallation price<\/th>\n Amortization time<\/th>\n Scenario<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n 4000 \u20ac<\/td>\n 4 to 5 years<\/td>\n Home with subsidy and high self consumption<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 6000 \u20ac<\/td>\n 6 to 7 years<\/td>\n Average villa without battery<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 7500 \u20ac<\/td>\n 8 to 9 years<\/td>\n Large installation with moderate consumption<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 9000 \u20ac<\/td>\n 9 to 10 years<\/td>\n Installation with batteries and low self consumption<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n So would a solar panel installation be profitable for you?<\/h2>\n