Are you thinking about harnessing solar power for your home in France? This guide is for you! Thanks to Lindsey Elliot of Ecopower Europe for this meaty article, you can explore the benefits of solar panels, different options for using the generated electricity, and the steps involved in a legal and efficient installation. Lindsey will clear up some misconceptions about grants and delve into the realities of the process, from choosing an installer to setting up your system for optimal use. Let’s get started and unlock the potential of solar power for your home!
It seems that everyone wants to power their lives with sunshine for a variety of reasons, but the questions are:
- How do you do it?
- How do you do it legally?
- And how do you not get conned?
Solar PV (photovoltaic) is an electric power system designed to supply useable solar-generated electricity to be used in your home or sent back to the grid network for a credit/payment or a mix of these.
- Self-use or ‘autoconsommation’ is where you use solar energy production in your own home. Your home will always use solar power first before taking energy from the grid. On average, you will use about 40/45% of the solar production in ‘autoconsommation’ but this figure will depend on how you manage the use of your electrical items and the size of the system. About 55%-60% will flow back through your electricity meter (Linky) and be lost to the network unless you capture this surplus.
- Send your production total to EDF for a tariff feed in payment contract for 20 years. Called PV EN VENTE TOTALE – measured through a separate meter or your Linky. The current tariff is 10,24 cents per KW/h (3-9KWc system).
- Go ‘off grid’ – a whole different ball game and is not covered in these notes.
Capturing your Surplus
If you decide on ‘autoconsommation’ the question of how to capture the surplus 55-60% arises. These are your choices:
- Sell the excess to EDF or another provider for a tariff feed in payment for the surplus part – ’AUTOCONSOMMATION AVEC VENTE DU SURPLUS’ – currently 12.76c per KW/h (for systems 3-9KWc). You must have a Linky for this option, and the installer must be RGE.
- Send your surplus to a virtual battery (STOCKAGE VIRTUEL) storage provider – there are several companies that offer this service (not EDF).
- Send your surplus to a physical battery system. Please note Tesla Powerwall is still not available in France (maybe soon ????).
- Use add-on systems like the Eddi hot water diverter or solar EV charger to use up the surplus.
Self-use (autoconsommation) with a virtual battery is becoming the most popular setup and offers the best value overall for using 100% of your solar production. With careful planning and sizing of the system, zeroing your grid energy consumption is possible, which is extremely satisfying!
Things to consider.
- Your installer should be able to tell you the KW/hrs your solar system will generate at your postcode and the % of your current consumption this will cover. You can find your KW/hrs consumption figure on your facture. If you have a heat pump, electric heating, a pool, air conditioning, an electric car, work from home, etc., your KW/hr needs may be higher.
- Technically, you must have a Linky meter to have solar panels and be grid connected.
- Without a Linky, you will only be able to auto-consume and/or use the add-on equipment to use your surplus. However, Enerdis will still require an agreement, which will trigger the installation of a Linky.
- Location of panels – roof mounted, wall mounted, or ground mounted – historically, the trend in France was always to integrate panels into the roof so that you could not take the panels with you when you moved! Integration is no longer the preference for planning. ‘On roof’ mounted on a low-profile rail fixing system is usually cheaper, uses less roof space, and the panels run more efficiently.
- If your electrical supply is monophasé, there is a limit on the KVA your network supplier (Enerdis for most) allows to be injected into the network – 6KVa.
- Planning permission – or Déclaration Préalable (DP) essential to have evidence of approval for your dossiers. You will need either a simplified DP or full planning permission depending on your proximity to a church or monument and the size of the system. Some ground mounted systems are exempt.
- Panels are now huge (in size), and many French roofs do not have the depth for 2 rows.
Using tools available on the internet your installer should be able to do a desktop survey without the initial need for a site survey.
- The number of panels required to 0 € your consumption
- Options for covering different % of your consumption to suit your budget
- Options for the shade free location of the panels
- Mock up of what the panels will look like
- Estimate on costs
Unfortunately, many companies will insist on a visit by a salesperson who insists on a no-strings-attached (?) signature of a contract. Please do not be tempted to sign anything on this first visit. If you do receive a Devis check that there is a mention of what will happen to the ‘surplus’ – see further notes.
A site survey should include measuring up, checking roof structures, detailing appropriate tile fixings, measuring cable sizes/lengths, drone photographs, checking shade conditions, etc., and this service may be charged.
Grants
This is usually the first question from potential clients, and quite rightly so – How much grant can I get? There is a plethora of misleading information perpetuating the myth that solar panels can be installed for 1 euro or a grant is available for all. Despite what you may have read or can probably see on Facebook right now, there is no gouvernement grant for solar PV. You may not believe me (many don’t), but I have never met anyone or seen evidence that a grant has been received, and until I do, I stand by the following list – but please keep checking ????.
Here is a list of the help that is currently available:
- For a solar system up to 3KW (about 6 panels) there is a reduced rate TVA of 10%. Over 3KW, the whole system reverts to 20% TVA
- There is a Prime available for taking a contract L’autoconsommation avec vente de surplus from EDF – so, in effect, an autoconsommation system with a tariff feed in for the surplus and ONLY this. This prime is relatively modest and works out at about 190-260 euros per KWc of panels. It is paid by EDF, but you will often find that companies using the scheme will take this figure from your installation facture by claiming it on your behalf and listing it as a discount, subvention, or grant.
- MaPrimeRenov – the grant available is for the thermal (liquid) part of a hybrid panel for a solar hot water system. Or for a system Solaire Combiné, which essentially is solar thermal for assisting a heating system. The grant is means-tested on income. So, there is no MPR (Gov) grant for solar PV.
- Some regions have their own energy efficiency aides – they all mention solar panels and show images of solar PV, but when you drill down into the information, the aides relate to solar thermal.
That’s it folks. To check the true availability of grants, please go to a government source such as https://www.service-public.fr
Because, in theory, ‘grants’ are available for solar, albeit solar thermal, the advertisers and companies using Facebook, etc., are getting away with tempting but misleading offers. If the smooth talk of a grant tempts you, it is usually the company giving some sort of discount that they have wrapped up to look like a grant, and it has possibly been added to the price in the first place. The L’éco-prêt or L’éco-PTZ – 0% bank loan is also NOT available for solar PV panels.
After the installation
How do you set up to make your solar production useable…
- If you do nothing you will be using as much as your house needs in autoconsommation but only when solar production is available.
- You will need a Consuel Attestation – technically for all systems except plug and play but does include self-installed systems. There is a dossier to complete and a charge for the service. As installers, we have a good reputation with Consuel, and only a few of our installations have been visited. Inspectors check that the equipment and installation conform to French Norms. Be prepared for the Consuel inspectors to not strictly stick to the solar side of the installation.
- If you are grid connected you will need a raccordement Enerdis (or your network supplier if different). Another dossier to be completed and a long wait. This is for Enerdis to agree to allow your surplus into the network and is essential for any feed-in tariff, virtual stockage, etc., and Enerdis states it is a legal requirement for all grid-connected systems, including self-installed systems and ‘autoconsommation’ only systems.
- Contract for ‘surplus’ – an option but essential to use the surplus and get the most from your investment. Either a feed-in tariff or virtual battery, you will need another dossier! For a feed-in tariff from EDF, you must have your system installed by an RGE installer. If you self-install these contracts to take the surplus solar energy, including virtual stockage, it will not be open to you.
- Warranty – your installer should provide you with the warranty details on the equipment installed and should be able to monitor your system’s performance remotely.
So, in conclusion, solar works need little maintenance, and it will reduce your electricity consumption and help towards your energy independence. The setup to make your solar installation useable and legal is complicated, but with the right information, it is perfectly possible. If you self-install, you are required to obtain an Attestation Consuel and raccordement with Enerdis, and can now access the stockage virtuel contracts with the correct dossiers.
For more info and advice, please e-mail me at lindsey@ecopowereurope.com for an initial chat and desktop assessment.
lindsey@ecopowereurope.com | www.ecopowereurope.com | https://www.facebook.com/EcopowerEurope
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