1 - What is solar energy?
2 - What is this technology situation in the world-wide market?
3 - Is solar energy sufficient to face 100% of my energetic needs of hot water?
4 - Can I warm my home environment using a solar system?
5 - In which situations can be applied thermic solar systems?
6 - Is the solar system sufficient, by itself, for the warming of hot water?
7 - When a backup energy is necessary, why choose a solar system?
8 - How long will it be necessary to return the investment?
9 - Are there financial incentives for the acquisition of this type of equipment?
10 - Are there financial incentives for the acquisition of these equipments for companies?
11 - What is the photovoltaic solar?
12 - How is solar photovoltaic equipment built?
13 - How does the photovoltaic solar technology work?
14 - Which are the investment incentives?
15 - How many years do solar photovoltaic equipments last?
16 - How much do I earn if I sell electricity to the network?
17 - Where can I get more information?
18 - What is established in the law by decree no363/2007?
It is the energy from the sun and can be used to produce electricity- photovoltaic, or for heating – thermic.
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2 - What is this technology situation in the world-wide market?
In Germany solar recourse is much inferior to the Portuguese (about half in annual terms), however there’s where we can find the greatest market, in what concerns Europe, with about 4 millions of m2 of installed collectors. Greece, imilar to Portugal in economic, energetic and population terms, has an annual intern market 30 times superior to ours, standing close to 3 million of m2 of installed collectors.
3 - Is solar energy sufficient to face 100% of my energetic needs of hot water?
In general terms, a solar system installed in Portugal is dimensioned to satisfy about 60 to 75% of hot water annual needs. This is due to the fact that in the latitude we are in solar radiation varies through out the year, we have more solar availability in the summer and less in winter. This way systems are dimensioned to satisfy the hot water needs at 100% in summer time, and not being able to satisfy them totally in the winter.
The possibility to dimension a thermic system that satisfied 100% of the energetic needs in the winter, would take us to a much bigger system, in which much energy would be wasted that wouldn’t be used, since it would exceed the consumption needs. Meanwhile, If the client possesses a swimming pool, for example, this excess of energy can be used to heat it in the summer.
4 - Can I warm my home environment using a solar system?
YES. For that you must consider that the needs of warming in Portugal coincide with the period of less solar radiation, and so we must choose a system with bigger dimensions in relation to another that serves exclusively to heat sanitary waters (AQS). You should also expect the excess of energy produced in the months you don’t use the heating, also in these situations there should be an installation that allows to drain this excess of energy, a swimming pool for example.
5 - In which situations can be applied thermic solar systems?
Production of warm sanitary waters (AQS) for the domestic sector and services (hospitals, hotels, sportive pavilions, homes for the elderly, fire stations, military quarters, camping parks);
Heating swimming-pools (municipal, hotels, private)
Heating water at medium and high temperatures for industrial processes.
6 - Is the solar system sufficient, by itself, for the warming of hot water?
In cloudy days it is necessary to turn to a conventional form of energy as a backup to the solar system. This backup should be installed in a way to always guarantees the safety and priority of the solar system, being able to use the following equipments:
electric resistance installed inside the solar deposit which is activated by a thermostat whenever the water temperature in the deposit lowers from a certain value.
boiler activated by a thermostat whenever the water temperature inside the solar deposit lowers from a certain value.
Gas water-heater that, according to the model, can be put to work in parallel or in series with the solar system.
7 - When a backup energy is necessary, why choose a solar system?
With a solar system you ca save up to 70% to 80% of the conventional energy, consequently reducing the expenses on those types of energy.
8 - How long will it be necessary to return the investment?
With the energy saving provided by a thermic solar system it is estimated that the initial investment is returned after 5,6 years, it can vary according to the consumption (the bigger the consumption faster will be the investment return)
9 - Are there financial incentives for the acquisition of this type of equipment?
Yes, there are. The IVA over this type of equipment is of 12%. Besides there is the possibility to deduct at IRS assessment, 30% of the value spent on the acquisition of new solar systems, with the maxim of 777€.
This benefit is not cumulative with housing credit.
10 - Are there financial incentives for the acquisition of these equipments for companies?
Yes, there are. For the IRC there is the possibility of amortization of the investment in the solar system in just 4 years, for this tax calculation.
The QREN has incentive programs for companies for the use of renewable energy systems.
11 - What is the photovoltaic solar?
It is a technology that uses the energy of the sun to produce electricity.
12 - How is solar photovoltaic equipment built?
A photovoltaic instalment is basically composed of – solar modules (panels) – composed of solar cells, typically, of silicon. – Reversing device – reverses the electricity from (DC) continuous to (AC) alternating in a way to adapt the characteristics of the generated current to the one demanded by the current of the home appliances.
13 - How does the photovoltaic solar technology work?
The photovoltaic solar energy converts solar energy in electric energy, through the photovoltaic effect. This effect occurs in the photovoltaic cells and consists in the creation of a difference of electric potential, through solar radiation. Thus, when the solar energy photons reach the silicon atoms of the photovoltaic cells cause the emission of electrons, and so generating electric current.
14 - Which are the investment incentives?
The renewable equipments are subject to the IVA intermediate rate (12%). On the other hand these equipments are included in tax incentives, making possible to deduct 30%, of the investment, in IRS at the maxim of 777€.
15 - How many years do solar photovoltaic equipments last?
Depending on the systems, a solar system has a durability of about 20 years, with a simple but proper maintenance.
16 - How much do I earn if I sell electricity to the network?
The clients/producers have access to two remunerative regimes:
General regime
The energy sale price to the public network is equal to the purchase price for KWh defined by ERSE – Regulating Entity of the Energetic Sector and appliable by EDP Universal Service – Last Resource commercialist.
Low-interest regime
It is appliable to micro production units up to 3,68kw that use renewable energies and satisfy the following conditions:
* In the case of cogeneration units the biomass, these have to be integrated in the building heating.
* For the units that use other sources of energy, it is mandatory to dispose of a solar thermic collector, with a minimum of 2m2.
* In case of condominiums it is demanded the execution of an energetic audit to the building and the implementation of the energetic efficiency measurements identified in that audit with a return period up to two years.
The reference price is 650/MWh, fixed for 5 years, for the first 10 MW of installed power at national level. There will be a 5% reduction for each additional 10MW power of registered connexion.
After the first 5 years and during the following 10, will be set the price equal to the price that is appliable to the instalments that register that year and that are equivalent.
After a 15 year period it is set the force price in the general regime.
The price varies according to the type of renewable energy used, and should be applied the following percentages to the regulating price:
* Solar: 100%
* Aeolic: 70%
* Hydric: 30%
* Biomass cogenaration: 30%
The electricity sold to the network has a limit of 2,4MWh/year in the case of solar energy and of 4MWh/year in the case of the remaining energies, for each kilowatt installed.
In this regime, the power connection is limited to 10MW in 2008. In the following years the limit will increase, annually and successively, in 20%.
17 - Where can I get more information?
To get more information, you should consult the law by decree no363/2007 of November 2nd and consult the Direction-General of Energy and Geology at www.dgge.pt
18 - What is established in the law by decree no363/2007?
It was published, in November 2nd 2007, the law by decree 363/2007 which proceeds with the simplified regime appliable to the micro production of electricity, also named “renewable in the hour”. The law by decree will be coming into force in February 2nd 2008.
To whom does it apply?
The law by decree applies to clients with a contract of supply of electrical energy in low tension and for units of monophasic electricity micro production in low tension with a power connexion up to 5,75kw, installed in the consumption place.
Each client/producer will be able to inject in the network power up to 50% of the contracted power (limit not appliable to instalments in the name of condominiums)
Limits
The access to micro production activity can be restricted in the case of the sum of the power connections of the units connected to a certain PT – transformation post exceeds the limit of 25% of the power of that same post.
How to proceed?
To install a micro production unit, the interested must proceed with his registration in SRM-Micro Production Register System, by means of filling an electronic form, available at Direction-General of Energy and Geology
After the registration, the requester has 120 days to install the micro production unity and request the exploration certificate through SRM. The exploration certificate will be issued after an inspection to the instalment location.
The electric meter must be placed in a location with free access to the trader and the electricity distributor. The equipments should be certified and should be confirmed at SRM – Micro production Register System.
Who can install?
The activity of instalment of micro production units can be done by businessmen in individual name or trading companies with charter registration title in INCI- Institute of Construction and Real Estate, for execution of instalment of electricity production. These entities should be registered in SRM- Micro production Register System
Contract
The client/producer will have to make a contract of buy and sell of electricity, with a model to be approved by the Managing Director of Energy and Geology, which will be sent to him by the electricity trader. The payments will be done by bank transfer.
Costs beared by the client/producer
Besides all costs inherent to the acquisition and instalment of the micro production unit, the client/producer will bear the costs with the registration in SRM-Micro production Register System and with a second inspection if necessary. He will also pay the costs with the network connexion, including the meter. In case of instalments that use aeolic energy or that are in places of free access to the public, the producer must have an insurance of civil liability.