PV Net Metering RES Grant

[Expresspete]

Has anyone applied and been successful for the EAC Net Metering Grant and if so could anyone talk me through the process please?
Tia Pete

[kansas]

Our installer applied for the grant on our behalf. Perhaps yours could do the same for you?

[Expresspete]

Thank you Kansas, my installer couldn’t be trusted to apply for the initial paperwork……

[trevnhil]

Sadly it reads like you chose the wrong installer. Although it is a few years back our installer dealt with all our paperwork

[cyprusmax47]

in my opinion it is more important that you get a PV system installed and running, rather than to moan about a small RES Grant of 375.- Euro per kWp installed photovoltaic modules which the Government tries to avoid. Application procedure is quite difficult at the moment though.

With electricity prices now @ 30 cent/kwh from EAC, Amortization led say of your 3 kWp PV system will be in 3,5 years or so. So if you will get eventually the 1125 Euro grant it would reduce the Amortization time further to less than 3 years.

The question quite important is how long can EAC accept applications for new PV installations with their existing grid system which is slowly coming to their limits. Voltage at my place is at the moment more than 254 volt specially when it is sunny AND winds are above 5 m/s and the nearby wind farm is producing a good amount of electricity.

Max

[kansas]

Ours is going through, cyprusmax47, and we've had confirmation in writing from the EAC. Our understanding, from EAC, is that it will take approximately 6 months but we think it more likely that it will be 9-12 months. We've also been told that the grant is euros 1500 for a 5 kilowatt system.

[cyprusmax47]

Well, 1500 Euros is the maximum they will pay, even when the size is larger than 5 kWp. Different for people living high up in the mountains or below a certain income though.

Max

[Expresspete]

in my opinion it is more important that you get a PV system installed and running, rather than to moan about a small RES Grant of 375.- Euro per kWp installed photovoltaic modules which the Government tries to avoid. Application procedure is quite difficult at the moment though.

With electricity prices now @ 30 cent/kwh from EAC, Amortization led say of your 3 kWp PV system will be in 3,5 years or so. So if you will get eventually the 1125 Euro grant it would reduce the Amortization time further to less than 3 years.

The question quite important is how long can EAC accept applications for new PV installations with their existing grid system which is slowly coming to their limits. Voltage at my place is at the moment more than 254 volt specially when it is sunny AND winds are above 5 m/s and the nearby wind farm is producing a good amount of electricity.

Max

Max, I’m not moaning although the way my installer has treated me and my application is far from acceptable (which you obviously know nothing about). My system is up and running but having fully paid for the system it would seem I have been conveniently forgotten about. In my humble opinion the company in question has taken on far too much work and their customers have suffered. And although I cannot fault the workmanship, the communication skills and the ability to sort the relevant important admin has, at times been a farce. A lesson has been learned, the biggest is not always the best and the old adage is true whereby a reputation takes years to gain but can be destroyed in an instant….
You will note I have not and will not mention the company by name. However, an quick search on the web will give an obvious result - oh and by the way, I wouldn’t call an RES grant of €1500 an insignificant amount particularly as the deadline is until the end of this year OR until the funds are spent.

[AlanGW]

€1500 went into my Bank account on Tuesday. A well known PV company, who advertise on this site, did all the paperwork.

[Mark]

I agree with Pete.

My system was installed efficiently and promptly, but the admin side was chaotic to say the least, it took months for my application for the grant to be processed, despite repeated prompting from me, ( the staff who deal with the application were sympathetic, but clearly overworked) I was also concerned that the available funds would run out.

The system was installed in February 2022, went live in June 2022, but the grant application was not processed till October, due I was told to excessive workload. The grant was finally paid last month, far to long.

I would however not hesitate to recommend the company in question, but they need more admin staff, I believe an extra person was recruited.

As Pete said, reputations are easily lost.

[cyprusmax47]

So, i believe i am correct what i said im my previous post, that people should be happy when their PV system is finally installed and running, producing free electricity from the sun, instead of moaning how long time it took.

Here part of todays article at CMail confirming that EAC is the main problem when somebody wants PV.

"PV installations meanwhile are proceeding as fast as possible and EAC staff are working overtime to evaluate pending applications. Despite actions taken to improve the speed of processing the number of applicants remains overwhelming and there is unavoidable delay, the EAC spokeswoman admitted."
source:https://cyprus-mail.com/2023/05/19/smar ... -roll-out/

By the way, I went yesterday to Green Air's office and was surprised how many new faces I could see. There were 5 girls responsible for administration work. It is ever so difficult to run a business for renewable energies these days as after the start of the war in Ukraine everything changed. Much more people are now suddenly interested to buy PV systems or heat pumps, due to much higher prices for electricity, however there are not enough components AND workforce on the market to do all these jobs quickly. It also takes some time to teach new workers until they are any help...

Max

[mark4007]

From what i hear and have seen the EAC does not take that long in processing applications...

The frustration is the time taken for the EAC to come out fit a new electric meter and (on another visit) inspect the installed PV systems before they can be turned on. This takes months (currently rumoured to be six months). The actual inspection takes minutes.

This delay is frustrating and costly. Often consumers have paid for the system in full on installation, they have a fully working system which is a mere flick of a switch from producing solar power and substantially reducing their future bills. They then wait six months for someone from the EAC to come along tick some boxes and say yes it can be turned on.

Its not clear what if any problems arise during the inspection but heresay reports would suggest that most if not all systems pass and are tuned on without remidial action by installers. If this inspection is providing any real value to the integrity of the electricty grid the EAC should publish the evidence of the problems that arise spotted during inspections and which installers are the worst offenders.

If, as i suspect, the inspections are of little real value, there are two simple actions that could be taken to reduce the time taken for the inspection..

The first one is that the EAC could intoduce an accredition scheme whereby installers are allowed to self certify systems are compliant with the requirements once the new meter has been installed. The EAC could monitor such self certifications and if neccesary stop rogue installers etc.

The second is that the rollout of all new smart meters should be such that all smart meters are such that they can cope with solar systems being installed at a future date. IE the meters can monitor imports and exports of electricty.

Of course the EAC could continue to devote more staff to these issues but given they say they are allready doing this and the delays are getting worse its perhaps time for a different approach.

However I do wonder if the installers and the EAC really care about the delay for the final inspection given that the installers get paid on installation and the EAC has a reduction in income once a PV system is turned on. Maybe they both have a vested interest in ensuring prompt turnarrounds of applications rather than systems comming on line promptly.

[Paul]

P V panel installation!
I placed my order with the supplier on the 10/06/2022.
On the 12/10/2022 the 3kw system was installed on the roof of my house.
Some time just after the 27/10/2022 the new meter was installed.
On the 19/11/2022 EAC came and did the inspection of the installation, and that day the system was switched on.
All well and good here over the moon how things turned out.
My supplier is doing all the paper work for the grant for me I am now just waiting for payment. It was applied for in January and the RES has asked for my bank details about 6 weeks ago.

Paul

[Paul]

I have had the grant money paid into my account on the 23 may.
Only applied for it in January.