Joshua Parfitt
FOTOCASA has launched an online portal that calculates how solar panels could slash your monthly and annual electricity bills.
The website asks users type in their exact address, draw available roofspace on an interactive map, and then calculate how different solar panel installations would cut your bills.
The website was launched in cooperation with Portuguese energy company EDP and can be accessed here: https://energia.fotocasa.es/solar/es/fotocasa.html.
Also calculated is the amount that subsidies available in each region of Spain could cut one-time installation costs.
For a villa in Javea, for example, a one-time payment of €3,709 (inc. €1,000 subsidy) would see savings of €592 annually in electricity bills with just four solar panels.
Fotocasa said that most houses would see a 50% reduction in electricity bills following installation.
“Spanish people are increasingly aware of the importance of an energy transition to fight climate change, as well as how you can reduce utility bills thanks to renewable energies like solar,” said Maria Matos, spokesperson for Fotocasa.
“From EDP we offer a complete service, including advice throughout the whole process as well as studying and applying for bonuses and subsidies applicable to solar panel installation. We manage each technical and legal matter to allow homeowners to generate their own energy,” said Oscar Cubillo, director of business development at EDP Solar.
Spain enjoys more than 2,500 hours of sunshine each year, making it a prime candidate for solar power generation.
According to an EDP study, up to 85% of Spanish homes could install solar panels. These include in apartment blocks and urbanisations.
If all these 85% of Spanish homes installed solar panels the energy saving would exceed 100% of the annual home electricity demand.
The moves would also see a reduction of 57 million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to planting 4.3 billion trees.
Solar panel installations can also receive up to 40% of costs in subsidies, or up to 65% if the project includes a battery for power storage.
This is thanks to Spain’s national plan for recuperation, transformation and resilience.
According to EDP, Andalucia is the community with the greatest potential for solar power generation, followed by the Valencian Community, Catalunya, Madrid and Castilla y Leon.
Furthermore, up to 630 municipalities in Spain offer discounts in property taxes (IBI) on homes with solar panels.
