The sun is not free The power sector reform expensive grain consumption

The sun is not free The power sector reform expensive grain consumption and the option of pouring energy into the grid and recover after The electricity bill tends to the flat rate Industry taxed at a toll homemade electricity production JUANA widowhood Madrid 20 Filed under: Ecology Ecological Industry Sector Electrical Energy Electrical Energy Reform Legislation Government of Spain energy Renewable energy price policy Electric Companies energy market energy consumption Spain Government State Administration Public administration Political Science Environment Energy Sources Energy Solar panels that power the Club Nautico de L'Estartit (Girona). The possibility of producing your own electricity using renewable resources solar panels or small wind turbines installed on private property-is very attractive for Spanish homes. "Out of every 50 incoming calls per month, 35 are of particular interest in the subsistence" says Francesc Mateu, manager of Sun Gironés, a company specializing in renewable energy and pioneers in this sector. "At the moment we say they have to wait until September or October that things are clearer," he adds. The trend towards flat rate on electricity bills, which increasingly have to pay a higher amount of fixed and less energy expenditure and specific rates imposed by the decree of consumption, which has not yet been approved , this alternative to expensive conventional consumption. The Government has proposed that the energy consumption is implemented gradually and without altering the Spanish electricity system. To do reserve the right to up and down those specific charges or tolls, and called "backup", depending on how the sector evolves. "We will pay a toll for the energy received from the sun" sums Mario Sorinas, Huesca Electrobin company, with over 20 years experience in solar energy. Source: EPIA / COUNTRY The energy autarky is more than consolidated in countries like the U.S. or Japan. Many European countries have implemented with different formulas. "It's the future," energy experts agree. Generate your own electricity with renewable energy and give a break to the environment and the pocket. There is also the possibility of transferring the excess energy to utilities and retrieve it when needed or directly sell, which is known as Net-balanced consumption. The Government of Spain and it poses. The draft decree of consumption makes it clear that not remunerate the excess energy is poured to the network. MORE INFORMATION Industry taxed at a toll homemade electricity production The "flat rate" of light penalize the houses and the consumption The quiet electric consumption discouragement photovoltaic sector Right now, in Spain you can privately produce energy and consume it in the moment, a mode called instant consumption. The latest legislation is 2011. Before it was not cost effective because it came out. Cheaper by up to 80% of photovoltaic in the last five years and the increase in the electricity bills have become a very interesting saving option in times of crisis. The use from dairy farms to supermarkets, nursing homes, restaurants and a particular consumer. The excess energy can not be stored in batteries because it is forbidden. When there is no sun or wind, you have to engage the network and pay the normal invoice. There is no official record of consumption. Alimarket economic magazine has posted 43 cases. Another file, made voluntarily by the portal autoconsumidores Energy 21, the amount to 74. Sun Gironés, with 14 employees, is taking the rest with the instant consumption. "It's working well, especially with companies like meat or hospitality, which rely heavily on cold storage, and in which the light bill takes at least 15% of their annual fixed costs," says his manager. With these systems reduce reach between 20% and 30% consumption, although a case has been achieved that a drop of 44%. So far not pay taxes of any kind for this type of power generation. The Estartit Yacht Club, located in Pals (Girona), is one of its customers. They have drawn up a five-year plan for the 20% of its consumption comes from renewable energy. Currently solar panels generate 7%. "We are very close to a natural park and want to have a high impact on the environment," says Eugeni Figa, its director. Its plans also include windmills. "Of all the possible scenarios this is the worst" in the sector complain In Galicia, the Dominguez brothers locking lead with renewables since 1998. "We were four ragamuffins" says Manuel. In 2007 they made their own offices supplying example Sanxenxo (Pontevedra) with a solar plant. Although consumption has projects in Spain, most of its market is outside the country in large parks of Chile, Mexico, Romania and England. Energy reform has heated up tremendously in renewables. "Of all the possible scenarios, this is the worst," José Donoso, president of the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF), which represents 85% of the sector's activity. "But still nothing specific has been approved for consumption, already have it loaded," he adds. Donoso refers to the increase in the fixed portion of the electric bill, and will represent a 77% increase in this section for a domestic fee-something that domestic producers can not do without-and a fall of 23% in the consumption, which reduces self-production. "Until now, the expense could deliver a 30% fixed and 70% variable part. You walk 50% -50% so any initiative to generate your own power is discouraged ", provides Ignacio Cruz, researcher Renewable Energy division of the Center for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT). There are nursing homes, businesses and individuals that already generate their light "This is a death rejonazo the net balance and energy savings," says Javier García Breva, renewable energy consultant and former director of the Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDEA). This specialist maintains that it is purely revenue raising measures to enter more than electric. Unesa, the management of large utilities, has refused to assess the situation of consumption to better understand the legislative changes. The Ministry of Industry has not responded to requests for information from THE COUNTRY. With the changes known so far the payback time of photovoltaic grows considerably. If before the reform was needed 12 years to recover the investment in a residential installation of 2.4 kilowatts of power now will require 23 more, according to estimates by UNEF. The consumer is the most played, since in the case of plants or irrigation service times have increased five amortization and 4.75 years, respectively. However, there is always one who already works in looking around. Sun Gironés ensures that its customers are reducing the power contract, which recorded higher increase in the bill, because the instant consumption allows them to have their energy needs covered. Another of his goals is to get the profitable domestic consumption. Cows are milked by electricity itself The farmer José Manuel Seijas is supplied with solar energy. / XOSÉ MARRAS As electricity rising each day a little more, José Manuel Seijas, Vilar de Abaixo livestock, a village of 30 inhabitants of the province of Lugo, decided to put some solar panels on the roof of his farm milking cows. "We invested in a solar a few years ago, but sold it when they started to lower premiums," he explains. Seijas has affection for renewables. "I like to do new things, and the sun is free", he explains. Your facility enables you to get energy to robots cow milking, farm cleaning, cooling tanks where milk is kept, the fans. "I do not know how tough the life of a farmer," he says by phone at dinner time. Take forward the 400 head of cattle and 100 pigs of installation without any grant-has an employee and help his wife and son, who is studying-you forced to go hand calculator. Just three months ago that the 42 panels occupy about 80 square meters of the roof of his farm, so I still do not dare to estimate reductions in the bill. "At the end of the year probably know," he predicts. The authors of the project, and IBC Inelsa companies estimate that the farmer can save up to 30% on the bill and act responsibly towards the environment. "It will prevent a total of 5514.38 kilogramops of CO2 emissions per year," believes Diana Llopis, IBC Solar.