Evaluated: install a solar power plant or buy electricity from a solar park?

According to Mantas Kavaliauskas, product development manager of the energy solutions company “Elektrum Lietuva”, the state aims to reach 300,000 in the next six years. number of generating consumers, electricity production will be actively promoted both in private solar power plants and in solar parks.

“More than half of the country’s housing consists of apartments, so the number of remote generating users is likely to begin to match or even surpass the owners of individual solar power plants in the long run. Of course, both production models have their own advantages and disadvantages, which residents who are considering joining the ranks of producing consumers should be aware of,” says the company’s representative.

According to M. Kavaliauskas, the popularity of solar power plants, which has grown at a record speed in recent years, was determined by complex reasons, the most important of which are the uncertain economic situation, which encouraged the search for effective solutions to reduce costs, the decreasing prices of the equipment itself, and the desire to ensure energy independence, which became particularly active after 2022. energy resource crises.

According to him, the main advantage of both solar power plants and remote solar parks is that they can guarantee lower electricity bills and reduce dependence on dynamically changing electricity prices. Of course, the initial investment in solar production can be substantial.

“If it is possible, residents usually choose the solar power solution because it provides the opportunity to use solar energy instantly. Unlike individual power plants, in the case of solar parks, consumers do not have the opportunity to use the produced electricity instantly, since the latter are connected to the ESO grids and from them the electricity reaches the consumer. For this, ESO is paid a so-called preservation fee”, says M. Kavaliauskas.

However, he points out that residents who decide to join the ranks of producing consumers and install a solar power plant usually have the only option – the roof of their building, which may not meet all the requirements for installing a solar power plant.

Another possible solution is to install a power plant next to the house if there is space in the yard, but often there are limited options for this, and in addition, such a solution is a bit more expensive.

“It should also be remembered that in order to build your own solar power plant, you need to take a number of steps: assess your roof or plot of land to see if they will be suitable for construction, choose a reliable contractor, equipment, assess the possibilities of your electrical input to connect the solar power plant, physically equip the power plant, submit contractor’s declaration. Therefore, careful preparation is necessary in order to achieve an effective result”, he says.

Meanwhile, the developer of the park deals with the documentation management when purchasing a part of the solar park. In addition, remote solar generation is a suitable solution for customers who do not have a suitable roof or plot for installing a solar power plant.

“By choosing this generation method, the user has fewer daily obligations. He does not need to worry about the maintenance of the solar park, because it is the responsibility of the developer. He undertakes to supply the customer with a minimum amount of electricity when, after installing his own solar power plant, production volumes are unstable and depend on weather conditions and time of day. Finally, plots for solar parks are selected in such a way as to ensure maximum electricity production, and after purchasing a part of an already functioning park, the resident does not have to wait for the start of generation,” says the expert.

For those who are undecided about which power plant – remote or installed on the roof of the house – is a financially more attractive investment, M. Kavaliauskas says that although their payback period differs slightly, it is necessary to evaluate individual conditions.

“In electric solar parks, in order to ensure maximum energy production, orientation is chosen in the direction of the south, the equipment itself is constantly maintained and serviced so that the generation is optimal.

Meanwhile, the direction of the roof of the house on which the solar power plant is installed may not be the most suitable, which directly leads to lower production efficiency.

Of course, the power plant installed on the roof is currently a slightly cheaper alternative, but in the end result, when evaluating the price-production ratio, the payback rate is similar,” he says.

M. Kavaliauskas advises those considering the purchase of part of a solar park to look into the efficiency of the park, as this indicator has a direct impact on the user’s costs. For example, if a solar park developer guarantees extremely high solar electricity production from one kilowatt, the total number of kilowatts purchased will be lower. The service fee for the solar park, which is also calculated per kilowatt, will be reduced, so the investment will pay off faster.

In the event that it is decided to become a remote generating user, M. Kavaliauskas advises to take into account the date of the start of energy production – solar modules produce electricity all year round, but in the warm season, March-September, they generate much more. Therefore, if the solar park starts working in the fall, the consumer will produce less electricity and will not use the entire year’s solar cycle, losing the most efficient period.

M. Kavaliauskas adds that the financial incentives of the Environmental Project Management Agency (APMA) speed up the payback of investments in solar energy – it is calculated that if a user consumes 400 kWh of electricity per month, the payback period of the solar park can reach 5 years, and after using the support of APVA – in a little more than 3.5 years. An investment in a solar power plant can pay off in a similar period, but the exact term depends on the conditions of its installation – the slope of the roof, its direction, etc.