One of our clients in Marbella used to spend between €150-300 a month on electricity.
Consumption was highest in summer due to extra usage of his AC.
The client came to us for a personalised study on his estimated savings with a solar energy system.
And now?
The client has reduced his electricity bills to an average of €40 per month and €500 per year.
He’s to track cover his installation costs in 3-4 years and save over €15,000 in the first 10 years alone.
And this is all while:
- Using his AC units for longer in summer
- Running his pool pump for longer
- Charging an electric car
If you’re interested in powering a better quality of life at home for your family with a financially smart investment…
In this case study we’ll go through the details.
Want to See an Estimated Break Even for Your Property?
In 2-3 minutes you can get a result for your:
- Annual electricity savings
- Total electricity savings in the next 10 years
- Break even
- Tax rebate
- Property tax reduction (IBI) in Andalucia
Click below to use an online solar calculator.
How to Make Energy Inflation Increase Your Savings
The cost of electricity in Spain in the first half of 2024 is at its lowest levels since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But low electricity prices have had a side-effect.
In March 2024, the Spanish government increased the VAT paid on electricity bills from 10% to 21%.
That’s an overall 10% increase in your bill without any change in the price of electricity.
So what can we expect in the future?
The course of inflation is to keep on increasing.
And if there’s another crisis like in 2022 you could pay 5x more for electricity than you’re used to.
Unless you have a solar installation.
Then you could save the equivalent of 5 years of electricity bills and break even faster than expected.
Most clients we speak to have spent years constantly changing their electricity provider in search of the ‘best deal’.
But the low prices never last.
Continuing on this path leads to:
- Higher and higher cost of living
- Increasing time wasted searching forums and articles for the ‘best deal’
- Continued anxiety over using appliances like AC at home
If you’re looking to remain in your current property in Spain for 5-10+ years you’ll end up spending thousands of euros more by constantly changing provider.
Energy inflation will always catch up with you.
Meanwhile the homeowner in this example will avoid paying an estimated €3,200 in the first year of going solar.
At an inflation rate of 1,9% this homeowner’s annual saving in 10 years will increase to at least €3,600.
Why a Personalised Set-up is Key to Long-term Savings
Energy inflation is what initially moved our client to seek solar energy as a solution.
But it’s not the only factor we take into account during an initial site visit.
This client’s client roof didn’t have a good orientation, for example, and the client had an electric car.
Without installing the panels on a carport with a solar battery and an electric car charger this client would never have achieved an 85% reduction in his monthly bill.
The goal here was maximum energy independence.
To us the 3-4 year break even is a bonus 🙂
This client had received multiple quotes from different installers and didn’t know who to trust.
In the end they chose Ubora.
Below, we’ll dive into exactly how we designed this system along with our client.
The Ubora Solar Solution: The 5 Steps to Sizing a Home Solar Energy System
There are five important steps we went through to guide the homeowner towards energy independence.
Below we will walk you through each of them.
Step 1: Personalised Study
The first step is always a site visit.
The purpose is to understand each person’s energy consumption and the available space in their property.
This step is crucial.
Many installers send quotes without ever visiting the property.
But then homeowners risk investing in systems that do not achieve the expected savings.
After the site visit, the technician carries out a personalised study which imagines the ideal system based on the installation space and consumption needs.
Step 2: Customised Proposal
After the personalised study, we develop a customised proposal outlining the most effective solution for a person’s home.
You’ll receive another site visit.
Solar equipment can be complex.
This second visit is to make sure you understand why every item of the proposal supports your ultimate goal: energy independence and maximum savings.
In this case we suggested a large solar array, a solar battery and electric charger.
This is because:
- Without an electric car charger the homeowner would continue using a domestic socket which is slow and inconvenient
- Without a solar battery the homeowner would need to draw power from the grid (and pay for it) after dark or on a cloudy day
- Without a large solar array the homeowner would never produce enough electricity to supply the home and charge the battery at the same time
This system was larger and more expensive than other quotes the homeowner had received.
But it was the only one able to achieve an 85% monthly saving in electricity bills.
Because of this reason and available incentives we estimated the break even at only 3-4 years (as you’ll see below) and that’s why the homeowner chose Ubora.
Without our second visit and explanation the owner will not have understood his maximum savings potential.
Step 3: Installation & Registration
Once a proposal is accepted our team proceeds with administrative procedures.
A date is set for an installation.
The installation itself usually takes 1-2 days before a homeowner can begin to use their own solar energy.
Once all is connected, we continue with the registration of the system with appropriate authorities.
This step is very important for clients wishing to take advantage of solar incentives currently available in Andalucia.
This client in this example was able to access:
- €2,000 in subsidies from the Moves III programme for installation of a car charger
- €3,000 income tax reduction (IRPF)
- €5,625 property tax reduction (IBI)
These incentives were crucial for this client achieving a faster break even.
Let’s cover the main details below.
Electric charger
The Plan Moves III subsidises up to 80% of the installation cost of an EV charger. The maximum subsidy amount available is €5,000. This subsidy is currently available until 31st July 2024 according to Xataka.
The homeowner in this example received a subsidy of €2,000.
Income tax reduction (IRPF)
In 2023, homeowners could recover 40% of their installation costs as a tax rebate. The maximum taxable base was €7,500 meaning a maximum tax rebate of €3,000. This incentive ended on 31st December 2023.
But there is another incentive currently available which can give homeowners up to 60% of their installation costs back as a tax rebate. The maximum taxable base is €5,000 meaning a maximum tax rebate of €3,000 according to the Junta de Andalucía.
The homeowner in this example received a tax rebate of €3,000.
(Please be aware that Ubora cannot secure you a tax rebate. You need to apply for it yourself in your annual tax return (declaración de la renta) or have your gestor do it for you. You will also need an energy performance certificate from before and after the installation.)
Property tax reduction (IBI)
The property tax reduction available for homeowners who install solar panels depends on the town hall. The reduction is usually between 25-50% for between 1-5 years. In Marbella the reduction is 25% for 5 years according to the town hall.
The homeowner in this example secured the property tax reduction, and it will amount to €5,625.
It’s worth noting that Marbella has one of the most expensive property taxes in Spain. Up to 40% of the town hall’s finance depend on the IBI. It’s not uncommon for larger villas to pay up to €10,000 a year in property tax.
Get an instant estimation on solar incentives available for your property
If you’d like an estimation of how much you could save with current solar incentives…
Click below.
Want to See an Estimated Break Even for Your Property?
In 2-3 minutes you can get a result for your:
- Annual electricity savings
- Total electricity savings in the next 10 years
- Break even
- Tax rebate
- Property tax reduction (IBI) in Andalucia
Click below to use an online solar calculator.
Step 4: After-Sales Support
After installation, we provide ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure your system continues to perform optimally.
You get access to our solar app.
Many solar installers will offer quotes which do not account for any after-sales support and often the installation is subcontracted.
It’s common to never hear from your installer again.
But Ubora solar has a special relationship with Zonox (an electricity comparison site) which automatically finds the best solar feed-in tariff for your property. You’ll get the best suggestions for a deal that either costs the least each month or rewards you the most for electricity sold to the grid.
According to our agreement you’ll get Zonox free for a year if you install with Ubora.
Without this after-sales support you can easily end up paying more than necessary in your monthly bill.
Step 5: Monitoring and Maintenance
Even after installation, our team remains dedicated to providing ongoing support and assistance to homeowners.
We provide two visits per year.
We also have a monitoring plan available.
If you choose this plan you will also get a monthly technical report on the health and performance of your system.
Why Ubora Only Uses European-made Equipment
Ubora Solar uses 100% European-made equipment.
As a premium partner of the German company Solarwatt, for example, this means we can provide the highest quality solar panels available today.
Our solar panels have a lifespan of 30 years (5-10 years more than non-European equivalents) and enjoy more robust warranties.
For many clients this adds extra piece of mind.
And for us, it’s important to offer the client maximum savings thanks to systems with the highest performance currently on the market.
Get in Touch Today for Your Own Personalised Study
Let us recap what you can expect after you get in touch with Ubora Solar:
- Site visit to understand your energy needs and installation space
- Personalised study to find the perfect system set-up for you
- Customised proposal with a detailed and itemised explanation from an expert
The personalised study also includes your estimated annual savings and estimated break even period.
Ready to take control of your energy independence?
Contact us today to learn more about how Ubora Solar Solvers can help you achieve energy independence and financial savings.
Want to See an Estimated Break Even for Your Property?
In 2-3 minutes you can get a result for your:
- Annual electricity savings
- Total electricity savings in the next 10 years
- Break even
- Tax rebate
- Property tax reduction (IBI) in Andalucia
Click below to use an online solar calculator.
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