Installation of self-consumption plates in Alicante is down 36% from last year’s high

This is also reflected in the latest balance sheet of the Generalitat General Directorate of Energy and Mining, which of course shows that, despite this slowdown, Alicante It left Valencia behind as the province with the highest number of facilities. Although the number of those active in the community is still behind in terms of strength due to the greater number of those registered in the neighboring district.

Total, 3,048 new facilities were connected in Alicante between June and September meant self-consumption 16 percent decrease compared to the same period last yearor when the number of discharges reaches 3,616. But, compared to the figures recorded in the last quarter of last year -While hiring has reached an all-time high due to the fear that electricity bills will increase with the arrival of winter-, The decline has already exceeded 36%Since then, 4,802 registrations have been recorded.

Various industrial warehouses with solar panels in Elda. Axel Alvarez

Evolution

The downward trend, already observed from the first months of this year, deepened further as the year progressed, and the alarm caused by the high price per kilowatt reached after the start of the war in Ukraine diminished. “Actually, We continue to pay very expensive electricity, over 100 euros per megawatt, but no longer last year’s 500 euros and The sense of urgency seems lost“, points out the delegate at the Valencian Community of the Spanish Photovoltaic Association (Unef): Bernardo Luis, This shows that the sector that has decreased the most is the housing sector, and companies continue to show more interest in order to reduce their costs.

Another reason for this decline, along with the previous one, was the following: Increase in interest rates, According to the president of the Valencian Association of Companies for the Energy Sector (Avaesen), this has rapidly increased the cost of loans, with which until now the majority of families financed the installation of solar panels. Marcos Lacruz.

The organization emphasized that despite the decline, registration rates remain high and they prefer to talk about this issue. “Market normalization”This follows last year’s unusually high data, when waiting lists were created due to a lack of labor and materials to meet the full demand.

A personal consumption facility in Alcoy. Juani Ruz

Lacruz also reminds that although the loans were more expensive, the costs of plate and other materials decreased during this period, which softened the blow. So an installation of around 3 kilowatts may be available at the moment. Between 1,800 and 2,400 euros.

AIDS

In addition to all of the above, both Avaesen and Unef criticize “damage” to business development caused by delay in granting public aid For such projects. Delays of more than a year (in fact, the majority of subsidies requested across the country have not yet been paid) are discouraging many potential interested parties. Organizations censorship Bad view Due to this situation and the confusion it creates in their customers, they demand that this be accelerated, which really gives momentum to the industry.

Despite the slowdown, the truth is that the transformation of the sector in recent years has been spectacular. Fewer than 2,000 active facilities in the province, which closed fiscal year 2020, have been closed in less than three years. 31,727According to data from the Generalitat. Additionally, the slowdown in Alicante was less intense. The province with the highest concentration of self-consumption facilities of all typesahead of Valencia with 31,074 counted. Of course, in terms of power, the neighboring region still wins the game, having 378 megawatts compared to Alicante’s 299 megawatts, including cogeneration plants, and also being larger in registered photovoltaic installations.

According to the same sources, 87% of the total active facilities (about 29,000) are for private residences, including 1,032 for industry and 446 for warehouses.