The energy transition has stopped being an option and has become a necessity. Galician SMEs, especially those with high electricity consumption, find in solar energy a real opportunity to reduce costs and improve their environmental footprint. Photovoltaic self-consumption not only brings savings, but also energy independence and a more sustainable brand image.
The first step is to analyze electricity consumption patterns: amount of energy used, peak demand times, and current costs on the bill. This diagnosis allows for correctly sizing the photovoltaic installation and calculating the return on investment.
- Review of electricity bills from the last 12 months.
- Identification of consumption peaks.
- Study of available space on rooftops or land.
Once consumption is known, a study is carried out to determine:
- Required power (number of solar panels).
- Orientation and tilt of the roof to maximize production.
- Initial investment versus expected savings.
In many cases, the payback period ranges between 5 and 7 years, depending on the installation and electricity price.
There are two main types of self-consumption: with surplus fed into the grid, where excess energy is sold to the utility generating additional income, or without feed-in, where all energy is used for self-consumption via a system that prevents injection into the grid. The choice depends on the company’s consumption profile and interest in earning income from surplus energy.
It should also be noted that a photovoltaic installation requires very low maintenance, with periodic inverter inspections and panel cleaning (1-2 times per year). Monitoring through digital platforms allows incidents to be detected and performance optimized.
Legal Procedures and Permits
One of the aspects that most concerns SMEs when opting for photovoltaic self-consumption is the administrative side. In reality, although procedures may vary depending on the installation’s capacity and chosen self-consumption model, the process is much simpler than often thought, and in many cases, the installation company handles it.
In general, the main steps are:
- Building permit or prior communication with the town hall: for most rooftop installations, a minor work notification is sufficient, simplifying the procedure.
- Access and connection permit to the electricity grid (when opting for surplus feed-in): this step ensures that excess energy can be safely injected into the grid.
- Excess energy compensation contracts with the utility, in case of selling unused produced energy.
- Registration in the RAACE (Administrative Register of Electric Energy Self-Consumption): necessary to legally formalize the installation.
In summary, although there are legal requirements to comply with, it is a manageable process, and most installation companies offer a “turnkey” service covering both technical aspects and documentation. Construction is usually fast, between 2 and 4 weeks depending on the size of the installation. Solar panels, inverters, and monitoring systems allow the company to control energy consumption and production in real time.
Benefits Beyond Savings
When an SME decides to install solar panels, its main goal is to reduce costs. However, photovoltaic self-consumption brings advantages that go far beyond financial savings. Some of them are:
- Stability and predictability: in the face of electricity price volatility, generating your own energy allows for greater medium- and long-term control and stability.
- Corporate reputation: more and more clients, suppliers, and partners value the company’s environmental commitment.
- Regulatory compliance and competitive advantage: within the European legislative framework moving towards a low-carbon economy.
- Social responsibility and environmental impact: reducing the carbon footprint and directly contributing to sustainable development goals.
- Innovation and competitiveness: adopting clean technologies is often the first step towards other energy efficiency and digitalization solutions, boosting company competitiveness.
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