Photovoltaic/Net metering etc

[Sadie]

We’re seriously considering having some kind of system fitted to include photovoltaic cells on our roof & hoping to have the net metering too.
What are the pitfalls/advantages and can anyone recommend a company to use
We’re a complete novice and any advice would help
Thanks

[Jim B]

We've had a 5Kw PV system for about six years and it's more than paid for itself. Our bills average around €16 per month on a five bedroom villa.
We used Green Air who are an established company and we know they'll still be about for the long term.

[jeba]

The problem with my system is that the fuse often drips in a thunderstorm. Once I was out of the country for 3 months and there was no production for most of that period because I hadn't noticed. So better make checking the system a habit.

[daveg]

My system has the ability to check it " On Line" from anywhere....
Via my phone/ laptop......

[jeba]

My system has the ability to check it " On Line" from anywhere....
Via my phone/ laptop......

So does mine, but that doesn´t help much if you´re not able to switch the fuse back on because you´re out of the country. Or if you forgot to check.

[PolemIan]

We’re seriously considering having some kind of system fitted to include photovoltaic cells on our roof & hoping to have the net metering too.
What are the pitfalls/advantages and can anyone recommend a company to use
We’re a complete novice and any advice would help
Thanks

Will PM you.

Ian

[J B]

We used Green Air who are an established company and we know they'll still be about for the long term.

How can you tell if *any* company will still be about for the long term?

Plenty of big established companies gone pop over the years.

[Jim B]

We used Green Air who are an established company and we know they'll still be about for the long term.

How can you tell if *any* company will still be about for the long term?

Plenty of big established companies gone pop over the years.

Maybe I should have worded it better like, there's a good possibility they won't disappear next week like some of the companies I've dealt with over the years.

[WHL]

Are the Government still giving grants to have these fitted?

Could someone tell us how these work, ie are they wired straight into your wiring system, do you need to install batteries etc, sorry but I haven't got a clue in what is involved, but I'm thinking of having them installed, because ive heard they really work out economically.

[jeba]

Jeba not really a problem if you monitored is it really.

If you're aware of that it needs to be monitored. Which was my point. Trust me, had I known this could happen I would have monitored the system rather than losing out 3 on months of generation.

[Jim B]

Jeba not really a problem if you monitored is it really.

If you're aware of that it needs to be monitored. Which was my point. Trust me, had I known this could happen I would have monitored the system rather than losing out 3 months of generation.

I've done exactly the same Jeba, I now check the App regularly.

[cyprusmax47]

Are the Government still giving grants to have these fitted?

Could someone tell us how these work, ie are they wired straight into your wiring system, do you need to install batteries etc, sorry but I haven't got a clue in what is involved, but I'm thinking of having them installed, because ive heard they really work out economically.

I am surprised that you ask as there were so many posts in the last years about PV and net-metering in Cyprus.

So: Net-metering is a billing arrangement where consumers who generate electricity on their residential premises with the use of Photovoltaic System may export the excess of this to the Electric Utility Grid and use it to offset electricity imported from the Grid to the premise during the applicable billing period. In case that the consumption exceeds the production, then the consumer will be billed the difference, while in the opposite case, the production surplus is transferred to be used in the following (forthcoming) two-month billing period. The final clearing will be stated on the last bill of the financial year (February-March). Any surplus may not be transferred to the next billing year.

This means one can see on the new installed meter from EAC how much you imported electricity and how much you exported. Your PV system will be wired to your existing system. If you want more than 4 kWp installed you need a 3-phase supply.

At the moment there is a maximum of 1000 Euro subsidy (250 Euro/kWp installed) from the Gov.

You don't need batteries, however this is the future also in Cyprus. With a battery unit of led say 10 KW you would have a back-up in case of an power outage (simular to UPS but for the whole house) and also it would help the EAC network in the near future, when much more PV will be installed. (in Germany 60% of new PV installations are with battery back-up!)

Of course that is more expensive than a simple net-metering system. If you look at your past e-bills and count the kW/h of one year, you will know how big your PV system on roof or garden should be to avoid monthly costs. 1 kWp = 3-4 panels will produce appr. 1700 kW/h in Cyprus.
I recommend to pay a bit more and order a PV system with so called optimizer to avoid any shading problems. You would be able to control your system with your smart phone in this case as well...

Max

[WHL]

Are the Government still giving grants to have these fitted?

Could someone tell us how these work, ie are they wired straight into your wiring system, do you need to install batteries etc, sorry but I haven't got a clue in what is involved, but I'm thinking of having them installed, because ive heard they really work out economically.

I am surprised that you ask as there were so many posts in the last years about PV and net-metering in Cyprus.

So: Net-metering is a billing arrangement where consumers who generate electricity on their residential premises with the use of Photovoltaic System may export the excess of this to the Electric Utility Grid and use it to offset electricity imported from the Grid to the premise during the applicable billing period. In case that the consumption exceeds the production, then the consumer will be billed the difference, while in the opposite case, the production surplus is transferred to be used in the following (forthcoming) two-month billing period. The final clearing will be stated on the last bill of the financial year (February-March). Any surplus may not be transferred to the next billing year.

This means one can see on the new installed meter from EAC how much you imported electricity and how much you exported. Your PV system will be wired to your existing system. If you want more than 4 kWp installed you need a 3-phase supply.

At the moment there is a maximum of 1000 Euro subsidy (250 Euro/kWp installed) from the Gov.

You don't need batteries, however this is the future also in Cyprus. With a battery unit of led say 10 KW you would have a back-up in case of an power outage (simular to UPS but for the whole house) and also it would help the EAC network in the near future, when much more PV will be installed. (in Germany 60% of new PV installations are with battery back-up!)

Of course that is more expensive than a simple net-metering system. If you look at your past e-bills and count the kW/h of one year, you will know how big your PV system on roof or garden should be to avoid monthly costs. 1 kWp = 3-4 panels will produce appr. 1700 kW/h in Cyprus.
I recommend to pay a bit more and order a PV system with so called optimizer to avoid any shading problems. You would be able to control your system with your smart phone in this case as well...

Max

Max thank you very much for taking time to clearly explain in simple terms that made it easy to understand.
I know there have been many posts regards this subject, but if im not interested in a thread, I usually scroll by and not take it in , I will be installing in the near future, once again thanks.

[Devil]

I have just received the green light to go ahead with net metering. It took me two years and three months to get to this stage because of EAC requirements to get written permission from any other householder on the same plot of land even if he is half a kilometre away. In all, my application required four signatures and to get them all was difficult.

[trevnhil]

Goodness me I never knew about those regulations.. We are outside the village but have other agricultural plots all around us.
Fortunately when we applied maybe about 5 years ago there were no such obstacles to overcome

[jeba]

Jeba surely your provider explained you need to check regularly plus you wold have had a bill sent before the 3 month. or what is the point of having the technology to keep an up date on your investment.

Not really. I wasn't even in Cyprus when the system was installed. I had given him power of attorney to apply for it on my behalf.

[Jim B]

Jeba surely your provider explained you need to check regularly plus you wold have had a bill sent before the 3 month. or what is the point of having the technology to keep an up date on your investment.

I personally wasn't expecting the system to trip as I don't check every day to see how many units we've generated, it was only when the bill came in that I realised something was wrong and realised it had tripped.
Our electric supply these days is much more stable and it's only occasionally we have a power cut or lose a phase though we do lose the odd day here and there we have enough spare Kw saved not to have to worry about it.
Every loses their spare Kw in February anyway.
As I said in a post many moons ago, we never installed the system to get our money back but just to stop getting massive electricity bills and it's worked plus the added benefit of it paying for itself.

[kansas]

Re: Devil's post, we didn't realise that EAC require you to get written permission from any other householder on the same plot of land. Has anyone else experienced this as we are on a small complex. We have friends who have installed this system and never mentioned this requirement. If this is the case then you could have just one neighbour who either objects or fails to approve and that's it, you're stuck.

[trevnhil]

As mentioned previously we did not have to get permission from any nearby landowner. We do not have any buildings / homes near us..

[PW in Polemi]

As mentioned previously we did not have to get permission from any nearby landowner. We do not have any buildings / homes near us..

I think this requirement has only come into force sometime in the last 4 years or so, but also Trev, I think you have maybe misunderstood the original comment, which was that all owners of the same plot have to agree. If a large plot has been subdivided, either for a complex or for two or three individual houses, then all the owners of each subdivision have to agree. I suspect that not only was your PV system installed before this requirement, but also that your plot is entire, not a subdivision of a larger plot.