Guide: How to install solar panels in Spain – and get your bills to €0

Imagine how your quality of life would improve if your gas and electric bills were €0.

Imagine:

  • Never worry again about switching on your aircon, your washing machine, your oven or stove…
  • Heat your home for longer in winter and make it cooler in summer…
  • Indulge in home comforts like a pool heater, jacuzzi, underfloor heating…
  • Consider an electric car charger to drive on your own sunshine…

It’s all possible with solar panels in Spain.

In fact, one of our clients in Javea not only received a bill for €0 last month… they earned €8 credit which they’ll save up to cut electricity bills in future!

Want to find out how it all works?

Find answers to all the top questions about solar in Spain below!

Are solar panels worth it in Spain?

Clients tell us there are two major benefits to a solar panel installation in Spain:

  1. Financial benefits
  2. Comfort benefits

You’ll notice the financial benefits when you get your first monthly bill through the letterbox.

With a solar energy system that fits your needs, your monthly bill should immediately be 60-90% lower than normal.

You can also get your bills to €0 – more on this later!

The  majority of MiSolar clients tell us they’re on track to break  even on  installation costs within 3-5 years and they love the freedom of   switching on their home appliances without worrying about the end of   the month.

This is where the comfort benefits start becoming more and more valuable.

You  can suddenly run your aircon all day when the sun’s out… you can  run  longer washing machine cycles… you can charge your electric car… you   can run your pool pump… and it doesn’t cost you an extra cent.

This is why solar panels in Spain can give you maximum comfort benefits at home.

   How popular is solar energy in Spain?

Are you surprised to hear that Spain is the most solar-powered nation on earth?

It’s true!

While China, USA, Japan, India, Germany and Australia all have more total installed photovoltaic capacity than Spain…

They also have much larger populations.

Spain  has experienced an explosion in photovoltaic solar  installations after  the scrapping of the ‘sun tax’ in 2019 (more on this  later) and in  2023 became the most solar-powered country in the world.

The theoretical PV penetration in Spain is now 19.1%.¹

Yes, that means roughly a fifth of Spain’s entire electricity generation should be coming from solar panels.

The  majority of solar energy generation in Spain comes from large   installations – during a period of sunshine in April 2023 these   accounted for 52.1% of the entire national mix.²

But home solar  energy installations have also sky-rocketed in  popularity. By January  2023 more than 200,000 homes have a solar panel  installation in Spain.

Aside  from the sun tax and falling costs of solar panels, a third  factor in  the growth of home solar energy in Spain was the 2022 legal   breakthrough that allowed homes to pay €0 to their electricity provider   while remaining connected to the national grid.

At least 16,000 homes in Spain were subscribed to this new deal by the beginning of 2023.

The breakthrough is commonly called the ‘virtual battery’ – more on this later!

Is home solar energy renewable?

Spain’s national energy mix has a carbon footprint of 259g CO₂eq per kWh.³

The average detached home in Spain consumes 15,513 kWh each year which makes for a carbon footprint of 4 metric tonnes CO₂eq.⁴

Performance  data from MiSolar clients shows that a minimum of 16  solar panels can  produce over 15,513 kWh over the course of a year in  Alicante, Spain.

So the average detached property in Alicante saves 4 metric tonnes of CO₂ each year with solar panels.

This is equivalent to:

  • Driving 24,000km (15,000 miles) in a diesel car
  • Four return flights for one passenger from Paris to New York
  • The carbon capture of 150 trees in a year ⁵ ⁶

Solar panels are estimated to produce 50g of CO2 during manufacturing.⁷

It  means the carbon footprint of manufacturing 16 solar panels is   equivalent to the carbon footprint of 3 kWh in Spain – most detached   homes here will consume 3 kWh by midday in a single day.

This makes a solar panel installation in Spain very eco-friendly.

While solar energy is renewable most solar panels come with a lifespan up to 25 years.

Currently  the biggest environmental issue facing the home solar  energy industry  in Spain is how to recycle solar panels once they need  to be replaced.

The  first recycling plant in Europe is due to open in Teruel, Spain,  this  year with the capability of recycling up to 90% of the silicon,  glass,  aluminium and copper found in solar panels.⁸

We hope that more countries and regions will soon follow.

   Do you pay tax on solar panels in Spain?

There are three kinds of taxes to consider when installing solar panels in Spain:

  1. Consumption taxes
  2. Installation taxes
  3. Value-added tax (or ‘IVA’ in Spanish)
1. Is there still a ‘sun tax’ in Spain?

The so-called sun tax was introduced on 9th October 2015 in Spain.

The  law required producers of photovoltaic solar power to pay a tax  on  production and effectively ground the solar energy industry in Spain  to  a halt.

Home solar panel users were outraged.

The Spanish energy specialist Daniel Perez once said:

“It made no sense – imagine I have a vegetable patch and need to pay the supermarket every time I pick a tomato.”

The  ‘sun tax’ was such a national scandal that Spain’s socialist   government almost immediately repealed it on 5th October 2018 soon after   coming to power.

Since 2018, the installed PV solar capacity in Spain has rocketed over 350%.

Thankfully  the ‘sun tax’ is no longer an issue and if you install  solar panels on  your property in Spain there is no consumption tax you  will have to  pay.

(In actual fact the sun tax did not apply to any home solar  energy  system under 10kW, but the law created so much suspicion that  few  homeowners installed solar panels between 2015-2018 in Spain.)

2. Are there taxes to pay when installing solar panels in Spain?

In  order to carry out renovations, installations or construction  works on  a private property in Spain you need to pay a tax to your local  town  hall.

This tax is called the Impuesto sobre Construcciones, Instalaciones y Obras (ICIO).

You need to pay this tax before carrying out a solar panel installation in order to obtain the relevant licence.

The tax is usually around 4% of the total installation – so for an installation of €7,000 you could pay up to €280.

But many towns throughout Spain have recently announced reductions up to 95% on the ICIO in order to incentivise property owners to go solar.

You will need to check individually with your town hall to see if legislation has been passed.

For  example, we checked the legislation for 40 towns surrounding  Javea in  Alicante and found that Altea, Denia, Ondara and  Teulada-Moraira had  recently published announcements of a 95% reduction  in the ICIO tax in  the Boletín Oficial de la Provincia de Alicante.¹⁰

3. Do I pay VAT on a solar panel installation in Spain?

You  need pay the Spanish VAT rate of 21% on any purchase of solar  panels,  solar inverters, solar batteries, and any other goods involved  in an  installation.

But there are two circumstances where the VAT rate can be reduced to 10%:

  1. Newbuild properties
  2. Properties undergoing a comprehensive renovation

To  meet the requirements for the latter the project needs to include  the  rehabilitation of structural elements, facades, roofing and so on –   also the total project cost needs to exceed 25% of the property’s   purchase price.¹¹

   How do solar panels work?

There are two kinds of solar panel:

  • Thermal solar panels
  • Photovoltaic solar panels

Thermal solar panels absorb heat  from the sun. Water  is pumped through black tubing up to a solar  collector usually on your  roof and is heated directly by the sun.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels generate electricity from sunlight. When the sun shines onto a PV panel the radiation is absorbed by PV cells which generate an electrical charge.

A single PV cell can produce an open circuit voltage (VOC) around 0.46 volts and generate a power output around 1 watt.¹²

A  single PV solar panel can contain as many as 144 individual PV  cells  to achieve an open circuit voltage up to 50 volts and a power  output of  550W.

But how do PV solar panels power home appliances?

Solar  panels produce direct current (DC) electricity. But when they  are  connected to a solar inverter, this turns DC electricity into   alternating current (AC) which can power your home electrics.

AC electricity can also be fed into the national grid if it’s not consumed at home.

This  requires a switch board to divert the flow of electricity and an   energy metre to keep a record of AC electricity coming in from the grid   and AC electricity flowing out to the grid (measured in kWh)

   How many solar panels do I need to power a home in Spain?

A typical detached home in Spain has a contracted capacity of 4.6 kW agreed their electricity provider.

What does this mean?

It  means the property can consume up to 4.6 kW of electricity at any  one  point – if consumption exceeds this limit then the power will go  out.

This can serve as a rough guide for knowing how many solar panels you need.

If  you have a contracted capacity of 4.6 kW the  to fully replace  your  day-time electricity consumption with 550W solar panels you would  need  at least nine of them (550W x 9 = 4,950 W = 4.95 kW)

But in practice the number of solar panels you need depends on a number of factors.

Factors include:

  • Average monthly electricity consumption
  • Peak monthly electricity consumption
  • Appliances used at home (e.g. air-conditioning, electric hot water cylinder, oven, etc.)
  • Appliances that may be installed in future (e.g. heat pumps, electric car charger, pool pump, etc.)
  • Average peak solar hours in your area
  • Presence of solar battery or not
  • Desire to export excess energy to the grid in return for reduced bills
  • Many more factors

It’s common for homeowners to suddenly use more electricity after installing solar panels in Spain.

Why?

Because  once you can cut your bills by 60-90% – or even down to €0 –  you may  want to run your home appliances for longer than you did before.

This is why it’s important to consult with a solar installer in your area before deciding how many solar panels you need.

Which solar panels are best?

There are 3 main types of solar panel:

  • Monocystralline
  • Polycrystalline
  • Thin-film

Each  type has its own pros and cons. If you’re looking to install  solar  panels in Spain on your own property then it quickly becomes clear   which type is best suited to you.

See major differences in the table below.

Solar PanelProsCons
MonocrystallineHigher efficiency
Higher performance
Higher cost
Higher production in temperatures 25°C +
PolycrystallineLower costLower efficiency
Lower performance
Lower production in temperatures 25°C +
Thin-filmPortable and flexible
Lower installation costs
Lower efficiency
Lower performance

Monocrystalline solar panels  are 15-22% efficient  and this is currently the best performance you  can find on the market.  Solar cells are made from a single silicon  crystal and this comes with  added manufacturing costs. The average  monocrystalline solar panel costs  €200-300 in Spain – and this is  roughly the savings in electricity  costs one solar panel can give you  in just the first year of production.

Polycrystalline solar panels are  15-17% efficient.  Solar cells are produced from silicon fragments  rather than a single,  pure silicon crystal. Production of  polycrystalline panels largely  halted in 2020-2021 as most of the major  manufacturers solely produce  monocrystalline panels due to differences  in efficiency and performance.  

Thin-film solar panels  are typically 11% efficient.  They can be made from a variety of  materials such as cadmium telluride  (CdTe), amorphous silicion (a-Si)  or copper indium gallium selenide  (CIGS).¹³ The majority of homeowners  install monocrystalline solar  panels to save space and increase  performance, but if your roof cannot  handle the weight of traditional  solar equipment you may need to  consider thin-film solar panels.  Thin-film is also a portable and  flexible solution for RVs and boats,  for example.

How much electricity can 1 solar panel produce?

In Spain your electricity provider will charge you based on the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) you consumed in the past month.

This refers to the number of hours your property consumed 1 kW from the national grid.

The amount of kWh a single solar panel can produce depends on three main factors:

  • Number of solar cells in a single solar panel
  • Efficiency of the solar panel
  • Number of peak solar hours in your region

Each  solar panel will come with a power output or power rating  expressed in  Watts. The majority of monocrystalline solar panels have a  power  rating between 300W to 550W.

With the power rating you can calculate how many kWh a single solar panel will produce.

The simple calculation might look like this:

Kilowatt-hours (kWh) = (peak solar hours x power rating)/1,000

As  an example, the average number peak solar hours in Javea in  Alicante  is 5,7 per day. Let’s say we are installing monocrystalline  solar  panels with a power rating of 550W.

Kilowatt-hours (kWh) = (5.7 x 550 watts)/1,000 = 3.135 kWh

You  could then multiply this figure by 365 to get a rough idea of how  much  electricity this single solar panel can produce in a whole year.

Kilowatt-hours (kWh) = ((5.7 x 550 watts)/1,000) x 365 = 1,144 kWh

The  average cost of electricity in 2022 was 0.21 €/kWh meaning that a   single 550W monocrystalline panel could produce the equivalent of €240   of energy in its first year.

This is almost exactly the unit price  of a 550W monocrystalline solar  panel in Spain. After year 1, you  would have broken even and be  receiving ‘free’ electricity for the next  24 years of the solar panel’s  lifespan.

   How much maintenance do solar panels need?

Research has shown that dirty solar panels can lose as much as 20-50% of their normal production.¹⁴

This is why it’s recommended to clean your solar panels following a storm or long period without rainfall.

In  Javea in Alicante, for example, the pine blossom in spring and   sporadic rain showers leaving red-brown dirt can reduce the performance   of solar panels if left uncleaned.

It is natural for solar panels to decrease in performance over time.

You  can monitor the overall production of your solar panel system  directly  via an app connected to your solar inverter and contact your  installer  for any questions or for a routine check-up.

Note – many homes in  Spain use a sub-contracted installer where there  is no promise of  warranties and no promise of help should you have any  questions.

This  is why MiSolar concentrates our installations to a small area   surrounding Javea and offers a 10-year warranty on your solar panels.

Do I need to install a solar battery?

A solar battery can add €1,000s onto the cost of a solar panel installation in Spain.

Are they necessary?

Unless  your property is completely off-grid or you’re installing  high-power  appliances like an electric car charger, we don’t always  recommend you  install a solar battery.

This is because a solar battery can  increase your break even date by  years and with the virtual battery  (more on this later) they are no  longer required to get your bills down  to €0 per month.

If your property is already connected to mains  electricity it may be  wiser to install solar panels now and then wait  for the price of solar  batteries to fall in the coming years.

Below find out about the 5 main types of solar battery used in solar panel installations in Spain.

Solar batteryProsCons
Sealed lead-acid Lower costs (€150-€1,200)
High power output capability
Quick re-charging
Shorter lifespan (3-5 years)
Sensitive to overcharging
Sensitive to deep-discharging (ideally not below 50%)
Heavy
Flooded lead-acidLower costs (€200-600)
High power output capability
High maintenance
Release hydrogen into surrounding space
Must be kept upright
Sensitive to deep-discharging (ideally not below 50%)
Lithium-ionLess maintenance
Longer lifespan (15-20 years)
More lightweight
Higher depth of discharge up to 80% and more
Higher efficiency
Higher costs (€1,000-€15,000)
Sensitive to overheating if not properly installed
Flow batteriesHigher depth of discharge up to 100%
Non-toxic (water based)
Longer lifespan (up to 30 years)
Low storage capacity
New technology
Not easy to find on the market
Nickel cadmiumCan operate at high temperatures
Longer lifespan (20+ years)
Higher depth of discharge up to 80%
Best for large-scale industrial installations
Toxic and banned in many countries
Old technology
Not recommended for small-scale home installations

For home solar panel installations in Spain, lithium-ion and lead-acid are the most common solar batteries.

The right choice for you depends on a number of factors.

Let’s take a look at some of the terminology seen above and other considerations.

How to know the right size solar battery for me?

A  solar battery’s size is measured in kWh. For example a battery  could  be 2kWh or 20kWh and over. It’s important to work out how many kWh  you  may need to consume at night or in lowlight conditions when your  solar  panel production before choosing the right solar battery for you.  For  example, if you need 0.75-1kW of power then a 10kWh battery could  last  10-12 hours and a 13 kWh could last 13-16 before it needs to be   recharged.

How to know the right power rating of a solar battery for me?

A solar battery’s capacity is measured in kW. For example a solar battery usually has a continuous power output around 5kW.

How to know what efficiency I need in my solar battery?

A  solar battery’s efficiency refers to the percentage of electricity  put  into storage that can be used later. Typically the efficiency of a   solar battery is around 80%.

What does the depth of discharge mean in a solar battery?

Depth  of discharge (DoD) refers to the amount of energy you can use  out of  your solar battery. For example, let’s say your battery size is  8kWh  with a DoD of 80%. That means you can use a maximum of 6.4 kWh  before  you need to recharge the battery. As you can see in the table  above,  it’s not recommended to use more than 50% of the energy in a  lead-acid  battery. But a lithium-ion battery, flow battery or  nickel-cadmium  battery can be discharged up to 80% and more.

   Are there feed-in tariffs for solar panels in Spain?

Feed-in tariffs entered the Spanish market on 5th April 2019.

For  the first time, home solar panel users could receive credit for  excess  kWh exported to the national grid. This credit is discounted from  your  electricity bill at the end of each month.

The most imported figures in a feed-in tariff with your supplier are:

  1. The price you pay for energy from the grid (in 2022 this reached a high of €0.21 per kWh)
  2. The price you are ‘paid’ for energy given to the grid (between €0.05 – €0.18 per kWh)

You can choose a fixed compensation rate or an indexed rate that moves with the market.

There  are more than 28 feed-in tariffs available with a variety of  different  energy companies in Spain. When we looked at them in early  2023, the  difference in your monthly bills is staggering.¹⁵

A property with a  4.6 kWh system (and no solar battery) could have  paid €505 every year  for electricity from one provider and €0 from  another provider.

But  even if you secure a feed-in tariff with the best rates of   compensation, you will never actually get your monthly electricity bills   to €0 in Spain. This is because suppliers include fixed standing   charges, costs and taxes into the bill which can range between €15-50   per month.

So how could a few providers offer €0 electricity bills as we stated above?

This is thanks to a feed-in tariff that also comes with a ‘virtual battery’.

Read on to find out more.

What’s the virtual battery in Spain?

In  April 2022 the Spanish renewable energy campaigner Jorge Morales  de  Labra began a fight to change the law on solar self-consumption in   Spain.¹⁶

He complained that fixed standing charges were slowing down Spain’s transition to greener energy.

The  campaign was successful. A new legal precedent was set. And and  by  January 2023 at least 16,000 homes in Spain were subscribed to  feed-in  tariffs that included a ‘virtual battery’.

What actually is a virtual battery?

Here are the three most important features:

  1. Excess energy saved in a ‘virtual battery’.  Before  the virtual battery the kWh you gave to the grid would be  discounted  down to the standing charge in your bill, and then any extra  kWh would  effectively be given to the grid for free. With a virtual  battery any  extra kWh you give to the grid can now accumulate as credit  and be saved  in your account for up to 12 months – and sometimes more.
  2. A better rate. Virtual battery suppliers tend to compensate the kWh you sell to the grid at a better rate than with a feed-in tariff.
  3. No standing charges.  Before the virtual battery you  could only discount your monthly bill  down to a fixed standing charge  of €15-50. Now it is possible to  discount your monthly bill down to €0.  Some virtual battery providers  will charge a fixed monthly subscription  of €2-5 separate to your bill –  but others will genuinely let you pay  €0.

Virtual batteries are game-changing.

They  mean you can slightly oversize your solar installation in order  to get  your bills to €0 each month. You can even oversize your system to   accumulate credit during certain times of the year and use this to pay   off your bills at other times of the year.

For example, if you  only live in Spain for part of the year you can  now accumulate credit  when you’re not at home and use this to offset any  grid consumption  when you are at home.

If you live here full-time, you could  accumulate credit during the  summer months when production is high and  use this offset any grid  consumption during winter when production is  lower.

Crucially the virtual battery means you no longer need to invest in a solar battery to get your bills to €0.

MiSolar has partnerships with some of the leading virtual battery providers in Spain.

If  you install with us, we can size your system correctly and then  set  you up on one of these deals so you start to get your bills close €0   within 1-5 weeks after an installation.

Do you need planning permission to install solar panels in Spain?

In general, you need to secure planning permission before installing solar panels on your property in Spain.

In Spain this permission is called the licencia de obras.

During the application process to your town hall you will also need to pay a tax called the Impuesto sobre Construcciones, Instalaciones, y Obras (or the ICIO) which can be 4% of the total installation cost.

However, a number of autonomous communities have scrapped the need for planning permission altogether.

If you live in these areas in Spain you will not need planning permission at all:

  • Andalucía
  • Baleares
  • Cataluña
  • Extremadura

If  you live in other areas of Spain like the Valencian Community   (including Alicante) a number of towns have recently introduced a 95%   reduction in the ICIO tax.

We looked at 41 towns in the region surrounding Javea where we install solar panels.

If  you live in one the towns below then you will still need to apply  for  planning permission but you will receive a 95% reduction in the tax   itself:

  • Alcalalí
  • Altea
  • Benitachell
  • Denia
  • Els Poblets
  • Javea
  • Jalon
  • Ondara
  • Parcent
  • Teulada-Moraira
How long until I break even on a solar panel installation?

The majority of MiSolar clients are set to break even within 3-5 years.

How can we be so sure?

During the quote process we enter estimated production details into a calculator and provide a break even estimation.

The break even estimation accounts for:

  • Current energy prices – the average price of electricity in Spain in 2022 was €0.21
  • Inflation  – the price of electricity has risen 1.9%  each year in the past  decade, but with added costs and taxes the total  inflation can be as  high as 6%
  • Solar hours – the average peak solar hours in the client’s region
  • Solar production – the maximum production of your solar panels will fall slightly each year
  • Accumulated cashflow – We add up the savings realised each year to estimate the break even
Can you get grants for solar panels in Spain?

Homeowners  in Spain can no longer access to the €1.3 billion in EU  funding to  incentivise the installations of solar panels, solar  batteries and  aerothermal units.¹⁷

The current phase of funding ended on December 31st 2023.

Spain has asked for an extension of funding to continue offering the solar grant until 2026 – but as of early 2024 there has been no update.

In case grants comes back online, here’s a table of what was on offer.

ProgrammeBeneficiariesInstallationGrantDeadline
Nº 1Service businessesSolar panelsUp to 45%31/12/2023
Nº 2Other businessesSolar panelsUp to 45%31/12/2023
Nº 3Businesses (with an installation)Solar batteriesUp to 65%31/12/2023
Nº 4HomeownersSolar panelsUp to 600 €/kWp31/12/2023
Nº 5Homeowners (with an installation)Solar batteriesUp to 450 €/kWp31/12/2023
Nº 6HomeownersThermal solar panels/ aerothermalUp to 900 €/kWp31/12/2023

If you own a home in Spain and want to install solar panels then programmes 4-6 are the ones to look at.

Under programme 4 in particular you could receive up 600 €/kWp.

What does kWp mean?

KWp refers to the kilowatt ‘peak’ power output of your solar installation.

For  example, say you install 10 solar panels each with a maximum  output of  500W then you would have a 5 kW system (10 x 0.5 kW) and a kWp  of 5.

If you install solar panels in Spain and apply for EU funding before 31st December 2023 you can receive €3,000 in grants.

But  note that the grant of 600 €/kWp is also only available for solar   panel installations in Spain with a kWp under 10. If you’re system is   over 10 kWp then you can get between 350-450 €/kWp depending on the   region where you live in Spain.

You can see a list below of the €/kWp in grants currently available in the 17 autonomous communities in Spain.

Autonomous Community€/kWp for < 10kWp€/kWp for 10kWp-100kWp
Andalucía600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Aragón600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Asturias600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Canarias600 €/kWp350 €/kWp
Cantabria600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Castilla–La Mancha600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Castilla y León600 €/kWp350 €/kWp
Cataluña600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Comunidad Valenciana600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Extremadura600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Galicia600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Islas Baleares600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
La Rioja600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Madrid600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Murcia600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Navarra600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
País Vasco600 €/kWp450 €/kWp
Note   – each community may have a range of incentives, and it’s worth   contacting a solar installer near you. MiSolar installs solar panels in   the region surrounding Javea, Alicante, in the Comunidad Valenciana and   can give you accurate advice for this region.    
What about the grant for a solar battery?

Your solar battery will be only considered valid for a grant if your property is off-grid.

How long does it take to receive the grant money?

There are four stages to the grant application and payout.

Official  rules state you should receive a ‘resolution’ or preliminary  approval  within 6 months. However, the current EU-funded solar grants  in Spain  are so popular that application channels have a backlog.

In many cases it can take over 12 months before you receive the solar grants.

Note  that you will be required to pay for the solar panel  installation  upfront before you can submit the relevant documents needed  to apply  for the grant.

What are the requirements to get the solar grant?

For this round of EU funding you needed to apply before 31st December 2023.

If you already have a solar panel installation on your property in Spain it’s likely too late to apply for a solar grant.

Why?

Because  among the application documents you need are official energy   efficiency certificates carried out by a certified professional from   both before and after the installation. If you don’t have an energy   efficiency certificate from prior to the installation, then you cannot   get one retrospectively.

You also need to submit the original  itemised quote as part of the  application. If you made the installation  yourself then you may not have  the required documents to be eligible  for a solar grant in Spain.

Here’s a list of other requirements to consider:

  • Only a certified electrician can create an energy efficiency certificate in Spain
  • Only a certified electrician can legalise your installation with your town hall and the authorities
  • If you have other grant applications pending payment then a second application may be refused
  • If you have any debts with Hacienda or Seguridad Social then your application may be refused
  • Your solar installation needs to include a monitoring system (except for programme Nº 6)
  • You need to show or prove that you consume at least 80% of the kWp installed on your property
  • You will need to provide the installation quote along with your application
  • You  can only receive a reduction in your tax return for materials,   equipment, labour, monitoring and control systems, removal of previous   electrical systems, proposal writing, management costs – you cannot   receive a reduction in your tax return for IVA (VAT), personal expenses,   environmental studies, any costs for loans or fines, insurance or   surveillance costs

The solar grant application can be  complex and if you make a mistake  then it’s likely you will receive a  notification of the errors months  later, and so the entire grant  approval process will be delayed.

Can you still get a tax rebate for a solar installation in Spain in 2024?

Yes.

In fact, few of our clients have already received their grant payment – even though we completed their installations in 2022!

But these same clients have already received a tax rebate in the first annual tax declaration after going solar.

In the Valencian region, there is a tax rebate available of 40% of total installation costs up to €8,000.

This means you could receive up to €3,200 back as a tax rebate.

Of  course, you will need to be a tax resident in Spain and you will  need  to already have income tax (IRPF) to pay in order to fully benefit  from  the rebate.

For more information on solar tax rebates currently available in 2024 please read our blog on solar incentives in Spain here.

What other solar incentives are available?

You can also access a reduction in your annual property tax (IBI) payments.

The  reduction is typically between 10-50% for between 1-5 years  starting  the first year after you install solar panels on your property.

The exact reduction depends on the municipality where you live.

For example.

In some towns near Javea (where MiSolar   is based) there’s a maximum reduction of €200 per year for 3 years. In   others there’s a 50% reduction with no limit for 3 years. In others   there’s a 25% reduction for up to 6 years.

So how much could you save on IBI payments in your town?

We created a list of the tax reductions available in the 41 towns where MiSolar installs solar panels in the region surrounding Javea.

These are towns such as Denia, Teulada-Moraira, Benissa, Calpe, Benidorm, Altea, Pego, Oliva and more.

Footnotes    
  1. https://www.pv-magazine.es/2023/04/24/...a-en-2022/
  2. https://www.pv-magazine.es/2023/05/15/...-en-abril/
  3. https://canviclimatic.gencat.cat/es/ac..._lenergia/
  4. https://www.ocu.org/vivienda-y-energia...asa-571584
  5. https://www.climateneutralgroup.com/en...ne-of-co2/
  6. https://www.crownoil.co.uk/news/1-tonn...look-like/
  7. https://solarisrenewables.com/blog/car...facturing/
  8. https://www.residuosprofesional.com/te...s-solares/
  9. https://www.newtral.es/impuesto-al-sol/20220915/
  10. https://slategrey-eland-434159.hosting...ax-breaks/
  11. https://www.cambioenergetico.com/blog/...s-solares/
  12. https://www.alternative-energy-tutoria...panel.html
  13. https://news.energysage.com/types-of-s...ar-panels/
  14. https://www.solar-panel-cleaners.com/w...ar-panels/
  15. https://www.ocu.org/vivienda-y-energia...excedentes

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