Finally, we explain how to register for self-consumption, which will allow you to install solar panels at home and save on your energy bill.
The production of solar energy for self-consumption continues to surprise in Portugal. Consumers are seeing the advantages of the sector, such as controlled expenditure management and savings on their energy bills at the end of each month.
In this article, we explore how to produce energy for self-consumption, what steps you need to take, what legislation is in force, and we also explain what equipment is used to measure consumption.
How to produce and obtain energy for self-consumption?
The answer is very simple. If you want to produce energy for self-consumption in your own home, you need to have an energy system. This is precisely what happens with the installation of solar panels, known as Self-Consumption Production Units (UPAC).
You can install one or more solar panels in your home, and these units should be able to meet the daily needs of your household. To do this, you should:
- Place the Self-Consumption Production Units in areas with the highest incidence of sunlight, such as sloping roofs or large areas of land;
- Purchase and install the solar panels, either by yourself or by a team of certified technicians. You must maintain the photovoltaic solar panels to ensure their energy efficiency;
- What many people forget is that you must also register for self-consumption with the DGEG - Directorate-General for Energy and Geology, which administers the UPACs.
Registration for self-consumption: steps to follow
Would you like to obtain electricity at home? The process for photovoltaic self-consumption requires compliance with a set of steps:
- You must visit the DGEG website and register if you are interested in having a production unit for self-consumption in your home. Once you have generated your credentials to enter the producer area, click on “New Self-Consumption Entity” and fill in all the requested information.
- Go to “Self-consumption” and make the “Prior Notification” (if it is a UPAC with an installed capacity of up to 30 kW) or registration (for installed capacity above 30 kW);
- If everything is in order, E-Redes - Distribuição de Eletricidade creates a CPE - Delivery Point Code for the production unit;
- E-Redes will analyze the meter reading and replace the old meter with a smart meter (only if it makes sense);
- You must submit a request for inspection of the installation to DGEG. Only after the certificate has been issued will the Production Unit be connected to the electrical installation.
Can I skip registering for self-consumption?
There are companies specializing in photovoltaic panels that can help with self-consumption registration. EDP Comercial, for example, states on its website that it can handle this procedure, although it is necessary to sign the Declaration of Consent for Customer Representation Purposes.
This will certainly help many consumers who still have doubts about self-consumption and prefer to contact companies that already offer green electricity tariffs produced from solar panels directly.
What meters are used for self-consumption?
The production of electricity in Portugal for self-consumption requires specific metering equipment. These must be smart meters and have the following designations:
- Bidirectional meters: these are capable of measuring energy consumption and production. They also allow the surplus injected into the grid to be measured. The installation of a bidirectional meter is the responsibility of the energy distributor. E-Redes, in turn, is responsible for replacing and upgrading meters at no cost to customers.
- Totalizing meters: these are devices normally used in buildings, large companies, or condominiums that have photovoltaic solar panels with an installed capacity of more than 4 kW. In this case, all costs related to installation, replacement, and operation will be borne by consumers.
Electricity production for self-consumption: Legislation
The legislation for self-consumption is set out in Decree-Law No. 15/2022 of January 14 and ensures the “use of the Public Service Electricity Network (RESP) for the transmission of energy shared between self-consumers and their production units for self-consumption.” This means that there is now greater freedom and less bureaucratic management of the networks that are fundamental to the energy transition.
The fact that renewable energy production for self-consumption is also carried out collectively has led to the emergence and development of Renewable Energy Communities (REC), which are becoming increasingly popular today. These communities can share and sell the energy produced from Self-Consumption Production Units. According to E-Redes:
- A Self-Consumption Production Unit with an installed capacity of 700 W or less is exempt from prior control, only when the surplus is not injected into the public grid;
- A Self-Consumption Production Unit with an installed capacity greater than 700 W and equal to or less than 30 kW is subject to prior notification;
- A Self-Consumption Production Unit with an installed capacity greater than 30 kW and equal to or less than 1 MW is subject to prior registration and must have an operating certificate;
- A Self-Consumption Production Unit with an installed capacity exceeding 1 MW must be granted a production and operating license.
In Order No. 27/2021, of October 21, it is also determined that the DGEG will issue certificates for the start of operation and connection to the RESP of UPAC (up to 1 MW of installed capacity), only for processes pending inspection or inspection. This helps to make UPAC operation faster and less bureaucratic.
Any additional questions about the legislation in force for self-consumption and access conditions should be read on the website of the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology.
How can I clarify my questions about self-consumption?
The DGEG provides some support contacts for customers who wish to find out about individual or collective photovoltaic self-consumption and sustainable energy resources:
- Email: autoconsumo@dgeg.gov.pt
- Phone: (+351) 211 166 840, available Monday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Official website: where news about energy production for self-consumption is clarified and communicated.
Advantages of energy self-consumption
Energy self-consumption will only bring advantages to your home and your pocket.
Firstly, you can produce and consume electricity at home, with the added advantage of being able to sell the surplus to the electricity grid. You will increase the energy efficiency of your home, increase its market value, and lower the costs associated with energy bills. The more democracy there is in energy production, the more independent and aware of the reality of the sector consumers will be.
Secondly, you will be helping the environment. In times of drought and climate change, you should know how to take advantage of the renewable resources available. Finally, energy self-consumption is advantageous when there is a public power outage and helps to avoid bigger problems, such as short circuits or damage to electrical devices. Register for self-consumption and feel the difference.
Source: Idealista/news