Solar energy in Costa Blanca

Few countries have better reasons to invest in solar energy than Spain. After all, southern countries benefit from higher yearly in-plane radiation levels compared to others. The European Science Hub has developed a tool (PVGIS) that measures the potential for photovoltaics across Europe. PVGIS’s estimation is 2109.88 kwh/m2 of yearly in-plane radiation in Alicante, almost double that in London – 1270.29 kwh/m2. Besides, even though solar panels can generate energy from indirect sunlight, thus capable of reasonable production levels under cloudy weather, they reach greater outputs from direct sunlight, which exists in abundance in the Costa Blanca region.

There are countless advantages to investing in solar panels for a Costa Blanca resident. The most obvious one is that solar energy is a clean, sustainable energy, protective of the environment, and plays to the strengths of the region’s natural conditions. Another valid reason has to do with the possibility of gaining energy independence and stopping being completely reliant on the big energy suppliers and the volatility of energy prices. But what many people are still not fully aware of is the economic and financial advantages of investing in solar energy nowadays. For decades, a certain scepticism against residential solar energy solutions was nurtured due to their expensive prices and relative inefficiency. All in all, it didn’t seem beneficial, from a consumer’s perspective, to install solar panels on their roofs, as the average production levels didn’t make up for the strong initial investment that most companies required.

The industry’s landscape has changed over the past decade. The access to solar technology has been democratised, becoming accessible to an ever-increasing number of households. Recently, the prices of solar panels have decreased to historic low records, while the technology has become more efficient, more powerful, and more diverse. An example of this is given by Enprove Solar SL, based in the picturesque town of Altea, which offers a wide range of solar energy solutions for Costa Blanca residents with different energy consumption patterns and different goals in mind. 

There is a wide range of solar solutions available in the market

Unlike other solar energy companies operating in Costa Blanca, Enprove Solar SL is not all about residential photovoltaics – solar panels to be installed on your roof to produce electricity. They do include home solar panels in their catalogue, with an impressive range of different brands, wattage, and pricing, but they also take into consideration different usages that people might want to give to solar energy. For that reason, you’ll find camping solar kits and solar water heating systems on their website. This reflects an understanding of not just the true potential of this renewable energy, but also its history. In the early stages of the development of solar energy, the primary focus was on the technology to be used in caravans and boats.

Currently, a discount of up to 30% is being given on all products, with an additional 3% discount for payments made via bank transfer. If you have previously thought of going solar, but never decided to take a step forward, going through their catalogue might be elucidating, whether you’re well-acquainted with the different types of technology or not. In this section, we’ll present a sample of some of their products:

Solar modules 

If you live in Costa Blanca and plan to install solar panels on your roof, Enprove Solar SL might give you some interesting options worth considering. There’s a clear focus on monocrystalline modules, which is the industry’s current standard. In terms of wattage, their current catalogue offers solutions ranging from 380W to 500W. All their solar panels have a manufacturer’s warranty ranging from 25 years to 30 years.

Solar kits 

Their solar kits inventory is quite extensive, with packages of solar panels and inverters (plus other accessories on some occasions) to be installed on your roof, balcony, etc.

Inverters 

While batteries are optional, you cannot have a PV system without a solar inverter. You’ll find monophasic and triphasic inverters, and microinverters, which have been designed for different household energy consumption levels.

Solar water heating systems

There’s much more to solar energy than solar photovoltaics. In recent years, the popularity of solar thermal energy has grown exponentially amongst households across Europe. The average price of these solutions on Enprove Solar SL is around 1500€.

How much energy can I produce with solar panels in Costa Blanca?

As mentioned before, there is an enormous untapped potential for solar energy in Costa Blanca. Solar panels can be extremely efficient in this region and generate substantial outputs, which will contribute significantly to reducing energy bills at the end of the month. There are different factors at play when determining the expected output of solar panels in Costa Blanca. To begin with, the roof orientation and angle of the panels. It is always recommended to have solar panels facing south to maximise efficiency. This rule does not apply exclusively to Costa Blanca, but to all locations in the Northern Hemisphere. As for the best all-year-round angle, this should be close to the latitude of the location in question. Again, let’s take Alicante as an example. Alicante’s latitude is 38º. This means the ideal angle for solar panel installations in Alicante is close to 38º, with tilt variations of +15º and -15º during winter and summer, respectively.

Another important factor is the capacity of your PV system. Logically, a system composed of 15 panels (500W each) will generate a greater output than a system composed of 5 (380W each).

A system of 5 kWp (peak power) in Alicante is expected to generate 8251.9 kWh. With a powerful residential PV system, with a battery included, it is within reach to save up to 90% in the energy bill.

Return on investment with solar panels in Costa Blanca 

Despite the fact solar energy has become significantly more accessible over the past few years, it is fair to say it still requires a substantial initial investment. For this reason, it is only natural you’ll want to balance all the pros and cons before purchasing anything and calculate how long it will take to recoup the costs. There are state aids in place to increase the interest of the local population in this technology, which help make such an investment more profitable and easier to recoup. In general, it is estimated that the return on investment in solar panels in Costa Blanca is around 6-7 years. That figure tends to slightly increase when a battery is attached to the system, as solar batteries usually are the most expensive components in the industry, though it is worth noting that the yearly savings of systems with a battery included are also higher.

Sponsored