YUBA S.L. specialises in the supply and design of projects for photovoltaic self-consumption systems. Photovoltaic self-consumption can mean for the end user, a zero energy cost balance for their home, company, community of neighbours, with the consequent savings in the electricity bill.
Before going into the current legislation that regulates self-consumption, we will introduce a series of useful concepts for those who are thinking about this system as a way to save on their electricity bill every month through photovoltaic solar energy.
What is Self-consumption?
Self-consumption is an approach that allows consumers to produce part of the energy through photovoltaic panels to reduce their electricity consumption in their homes or businesses.
Self-consumption is an approach that allows consumers to produce part of the energy through photovoltaic panels to reduce their electricity consumption in their homes or businesses.
During the course of the day, the user will use some or all of the energy that he has generated himself and there may be three cases:
In the first case, the user has not generated enough energy to supply himself throughout the day and needs energy from the grid.
The second case is that the user has generated a surplus of energy which, after being counted by the meter, will be "re-supplied" to the corresponding electricity grid, receiving financial compensation for it.
The third case is that the user has generated a surplus of energy that, after being counted by the meter and stored in batteries, is for use and enjoyment over a 12-month grace period.
What is Net Metering Self-consumption?
The net balance consists of the surplus energy that has not been used by the user himself, being injected into the grid in exchange for the right to consume a part of the equivalent electricity when necessary, this would be in the evening or at night when the solar panels do not produce.
This type of self-consumption allows us to use the electricity grid as an inexhaustible battery. In other words, with Net Metering Self-consumption, a net energy balance is achieved (the PV energy injected is subtracted from the energy consumed). It will be suitable for SMEs and individuals, up to 100KW.
One of the concerns of the pro-self-consumption sector is the treatment or use of the surplus generated by users.
Until the Royal Decree authorising Net Balance Self-consumption is approved, YUBA S.L. has a system that does not inject photovoltaic energy into the grid but leaves the system prepared for net balance at no additional cost. Therefore, you would be enjoying an "instantaneous" self-consumption with no discharge to the grid, but once the Net Balance is regulated, you will not have to assume any additional cost, because the system will be adjusted to the new regulation with a simple software adjustment, CONTACT US for more information.
Advantages of photovoltaic self-consumption systems compared to grid consumption
With self-consumption systems becoming cheaper and electricity tariffs becoming more expensive, it may be cheaper to produce your own electricity.
Photovoltaic self-consumption systems use solar energy, a free, inexhaustible, clean and environmentally friendly source of energy..
It generates a distributed electricity generation system that reduces the need to invest in new grids and reduces energy losses from transporting electricity through the grid.
The country's dependence on foreign energy is reduced.
This avoids problems in supplying all the demand at peak times, known for power cuts and power surges.
The impact of electrical installations on their surroundings is minimised.
Barriers to self-consumption
Until a few years ago, one of the main obstacles to self-consumption was the cost of purchasing the systems. This is no longer a problem as prices have become much cheaper (up to 80% in the last 5 years), while the prices of electricity provided by utilities have risen steadily and are expected to continue to do so in the near future.
Another obstacle to self-consumption is the intermittency of electricity generation from solar energy. Thus, a system of solar panels will not generate electricity at night, and a storage system is necessary in the case of off-grid installations.
In the case of self-consumption systems connected to the grid, this is not a major problem if the country issues rules regulating a net balance electricity supply, which is the main obstacle to self-consumption in Spain: the legal vacuum created, as the regulation authorising self-consumption with net balance is still pending approval, since the Second Additional Provision of Royal Decree 1699/2011, of 18 November, which regulates the connection to the grid of small power installations does not establish the administrative, technical and economic conditions for the consumption of electricity produced within the grid of a consumer for their own consumption if this in turn has a connection to the electricity grid with external suppliers.
Current legislation regarding Net Balance Self-consumption:
Since 18 November 2011, the Draft Royal Decree that will regulate the long-awaited Photovoltaic Self-consumption system, by which any citizen will be able to produce electricity for their own consumption, has been available.
Among all the concepts and details mentioned in the draft, we can highlight these:
The concept of deferred compensation or net balance mechanism is introduced, which is defined as "a system for compensating energy jumps instantaneously or deferred, which allows consumers to individually produce energy for their own consumption in order to make their production curve compatible with their demand curve. This system is particularly interesting for electricity generation facilities with non-manageable renewable sources, such as wind or solar, as it allows them to adapt their production to consumption without the need for accumulation. The net balance system can be applied to any renewable electricity generation technology.
This scenario will facilitate the arrival of grid parity for renewable energies, understanding this grid parity as the point of indifference between the purchase of electricity from the system and the individual production of the same for own consumption. When this grid parity point is reached, for the consumer, the cost of individual energy production for their own consumption is equal to the reference price of the electricity consumed from the grid, so that the consumer's opportunity cost is zero.
Scope of application:
The Royal Decree will apply to electricity consumers with a contracted power not exceeding 100kW per supply point or installation, who install an electricity generation installation in their internal network for their own consumption.
Management of surplus energy:
The consumer who is a net balancing consumer will transfer the energy generated that cannot be consumed to the supplier. This assignment will not entail any financial consideration, but will generate a deferred consumption right whereby the energy injected into the grid can be consumed during the 12 months following its production.
As long as the deferred period is in force, the energy purchased by the consumer from his supplier shall be compensated up to an amount equal to the accumulated consumption rights.
For each consumer covered by the net balancing system, the marketing companies shall keep accounts of the deferred consumption rights and the energy consumed.
Consumers using the net balance method will be billed monthly on the basis of actual readings. Each bill issued by the supply company will include details of the energy consumed, generated and the information associated with the compensation of deferred consumption rights.
Consumers wishing to take advantage of net balance supply at a new supply point or installation must sign an access contract with the distribution company that reflects this circumstance.
The consumer who is a net balancing consumer may transfer to the supply company the energy generated within its grid and which cannot be consumed at the supply point or installation for which he has a supply contract at that moment. This transfer shall not entail any financial consideration, without prejudice to the provisions of this Royal Decree regarding deferred consumption rights.
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