Calculate the profitability of your solar panels!

2. Depreciation or return on investments

1. Investment: the cost of a photovoltaic installation

At the beginning of the photovoltaic, the solar panels cost very much (also) dear. But in 10 years, the price has decreased by over 80 %! Which has favored the development of new production and functioning technologies that allow us to affirm it The photovoltaic is now profitable. The question of the cost of a photovoltaic installation is based on three points: The initial purchase price, AID who come to clear it e Possible expenses relating to maintenance and operation.

2. The initial purchase price of photovoltaic installation:

It depends on the crest power of the panels. Prices are decreasing: the price for KWC decreases when the power increases. As part of a turnkey service (previous administrative procedures, equipment, installation, connection and commissioning included) you can rely on a series of:

• € 7,000 to € 14,000 including the tax for a power of 3 kWc
• € 12,000 to € 19,000 including the tax for a power of 6 kWc
• € 15,000 to € 21,000 including the tax for a power of 9 kWc

For installations with larger powers, everything will depend on your project because the addition of one or more support structures, its position or the complexity of its connection can modulate the total price of the project. To have a clear and fast idea, you can simulate your sun project for a professional building through the Wattnext tool from our design office that will consider profitability for you for free. You can therefore ask to be contacted by a sun engineer for a specific study, detailed with a final proposal.

3. Operating costs

The costs for provisioning are not always explicit on the offers of our colleagues. When you Perform a study on the sun earththey are not only mentioned but also provided A damping table In order to avoid unpleasant surprises. Because this too, being an activist! In addition to the purchase price of the solar panels, here are the supply costs in your profitability study:

• Maintenance: The cost is limited, but the surveillance of panels and inverter is required! The rain will free dirt if the inclination is at least 15 °. If their inclination is lower or in case of localized pollution, nothing prevents cleaning.
• The price for the use of electrical or public rates: The individual who sells his production of photovoltaic excess or for total sale to EDF is subject to the payment of foul: it counts between € 25 and € 40 per year.
• Replacement of the inverter. This essential device that allows you to transform the continuous current into alternating current is the only electronic component that can meet a break in the next ten years.

These costs are automatically taken into consideration and charged to the amount of earnings in 25 years of the picture of a personalized study on the sunny land. This drops the earnings announced, yes, but it is a prudent and honest choice by us.

3. The advantages of your solar panels

1. Save on the electricity bill

If you opt for a Installation of car -consumoReduce the use of your electricity supplier significantly: consume your photovoltaic electricity and the monthly energy bill decreases! You are all faster your installation if you sell the surplus of your sun production: the electricity that does not consume is injected directly into the network and sold to EDF or at a guaranteed price for 20 years. This option allows, in conditions, to benefit from the investment prize. This is help to reduce the cost of solar panels: an element to be taken into consideration when calculating photovoltaic profitability! To find out more about the car -condicts solar energy and its operation, you can consult our guide «Everything on the car -Consummer». It will help you decipher the car -with a to Z.

2. Electricity production sale

You can Inject all the electricity produced From photovoltaic installation on the electric distribution network. Sold your sun production to EDF’s obligation to buy a guaranteed purchase rate for 20 years. This sale allows you to generate an additional income and the greater the photovoltaic production, the greater the «turnover» generated by the solar power plant increases!

3. The right number of solar panels

The number of solar panels that installs is governed by Threshold effects. Caused by the setting of purchases of solar electricity or fixed costs that make prices for decreasing installations, they will have An impact defined on your profitability. You shouldn’t pose too much or too little. To find out everything about the optimal number of panels to be installed and on the threshold effects, we recommend our article: «How many panels put for a house?»

4. Calculation of photovoltaic profitability

To fully understand how to calculate photovoltaic profitability, nothing beats A concrete example: Here, it is an 800m² building in Seine-Maritime (76), near Rouen, which houses a plastic processing company. The roof in which the photovoltaic installation was installed in March 2023 benefited from a nice exposure without a shadow and an inclination of 17 °. Here is its estimated profitability upstream thanks to the Wattnext simulator.

• Step 1: cost price = installation cost excluding the tax – AID

The sun installation of this building had An initial price that excludes € 136,000 for € 156,000. His power was 153 kWc or 374 panels. The owners opted for Auto -Consume with surplus sale. They did not benefit from a Investment bonus Because their installation exceeds 100 kWc. But this does not prevent the installation from being extremely profitable! To find out more about the prize, consult our article on The investment prize. Note: You may have other aid that can still accelerate the return time on damping. We listed them in our article «help of the solar panel» so that we can be sure.

• Step 2: Annual production production

Based on the criteria of power and sun, the photovoltaic surf is estimated, for the 1st year, a 151 040 kWh. In the year 2023, according to their electricity consumption profile, the company that owns this building to: + Car -consumator For 7,768 kWh of free electricity: the purchase price of the KWh electricity from their supplier is set at € 0.1360 in 2023, They will have spared: 7,768 x 0.1360 = € 1,056 + Sold For 143,272 kWh of electric surplus this year: with their sales contract with EDF OA, the surplus purchase rate is set at € 0.1287 for KWH and guaranteed in 20 years. It will therefore mark: 143 272 x 0,1287 = 18 439 € = The annual earnings at the end of 2023 would therefore be 1,056 + 18,439 = 19,495 €. Note: Solar panels have A guaranteed duration of 25 years minimum. This does not mean that the surrender will be identical in over 25 years. The photovoltaic yield necessarily decreases over time, but in minimal proportions (a power at least 83 % of the initial power is guaranteed after 25 years.)

• Step 3: Return time on investments

On average, a photovoltaic installation is profitable Before the first ten years of its use and will produce more decades later. If you want to do the same calculation to find out Your profitability for 25 yearsknow itIt is not enough to add The estimated annual earnings of your first year to get during the year of damping. This would be without counting: – that we consider An annual increase of 3-4% of the electricity price Purchased by your supplier – that The production of photovoltaic installation will be slightly different Over time (even tiny, a decrease in production must be taken into consideration for an honest calculation). – which is not expected Cost of interviews, insurance or taxes.

Conclusion

To ensure optimal profitability, it is necessary:

1. Install photovoltaic panels at the right price. A too expensive installation minimizes the possibilities of profitability. On the other hand, if it is efficient, it will be profitable much faster than a «low -cost» installation and will provide you with much longer -term earnings.
2. Opt for strategic power or a number of panels. Prices have decreased, the return on investments is even faster since the installed power is important.
3. Calculate photovoltaic performance well. To do this, you have to take into account your sunshine conditions (i.e. inclination, orientation, region and shadow). 1 kWc of installed energy will produce, depending on these conditions from 900 to 1400 kWh per year.

Focusing on renewable energy, take part in The energy transition While assures you Time saving. It’s great! But it is still necessary that the cost of photovoltaic panels (purchase price and operating costs) allows you to do it publication ! The more the advantages or savings provided by the sun installation allow you to quickly reimburse the amount invested, the more you will earn. And also the planet!