Photovoltaic condominiums: how does it work and is it worth it?

Photovoltaic for condominiumshow does it work? This is a question that those who live in condominiums have certainly asked themselves, when they notice how photovoltaic systems are becoming increasingly cheaper and more efficient. And, in a period of strong energy crisis like the one Europe is experiencing, being able to produce one’s own energy independently means enormously alleviating the bills.

Yet, while for single-family homes the choice is easy, this is not the case for multiple homes: who should decide on the installation? What agreement must the condominiums reach? How are the expenses divided?

Photovoltaic for condominiums is a reality that has received a strong boost in the last two years, thanks to the 110% bonus forenergy efficiency of buildingsas well as other interventions such as the numerous tax deductions available for renewable plants suitable for energy production.

Below is all the useful information.

What is photovoltaic for condominiums

As you can easily imagine, photovoltaic for condominiums means a solar system for the production of electricityinstalled on the roof of these buildings. But the definition is very broad, as it includes both the systems requested by individuals for exclusively private use and, naturally, those desired by all condominiums after an appropriate resolution in the assembly.

On a technical level, photovoltaic systems for condominiums do not differ in their operation from those foreseen for single-family homes. The photovoltaic panels are mounted on the roof, with the correct inclination to maximize solar exposure, connected in series or parallel for energy production.

In turn, they are connected to a special control unit – which is responsible for distributing the energy between the various homes – and to the appropriate inverters, for converting the direct electric current into alternating current. Finally, they can also be predicted battery storage systems or, again, the on-site exchange of the energy produced with your network operator.

The installation of photovoltaics on the roofs of condominiums usually proves to be very advantageous in terms of energy produced. In fact, these buildings offer greater space to install modules compared to single homes and, again, the expense can be easily divided between all condominiums, for a shared investment.

Photovoltaic for condominiums: single or shared

As already mentioned, photovoltaics for condominiums can exist in two different modes: a system desired by the individual, therefore independently financed, or one shared among all the condominiums. But how to request it, what are the steps to get the green light for installation?

Photovoltaic for single condominium

Il single condominium may require the installation of a photovoltaic system for private use, thus exploiting a portion of the common roof of the condominium. This is established by article 1122 of the Civil Code and, generally, the condominium assembly cannot oppose the intervention. However, there are some limits to respect:

• It is necessary to communicate to thecondominium administrator your request, well in advance of the start of the works;
• We must respect the structural seal of the roofavoid damaging the facades of the building or causing damage in the common areas of the condominium;
• You will have to take care of one suitable portion of roofso that all condominium owners – should they decide to do the same – have the same space available.

Although the condominium assembly cannot deny the installation, it can impose precise limits on how the system must be done and which common portions of the building to occupy. Naturally, given that it will only have to serve a single family, the system will be sized in power like any other classic domestic installation: from 3 to 6 KW, depending on needs.

In this case, how the roof is divided for photovoltaic? As already mentioned, it is necessary that each condominium owner can have access to the same resources if they decide to install their own system in the future.

However, the roof cannot simply be divided into equal parts, but a further consideration is needed: exposure. In fact, only the portion of the building’s roof facing the sun will have to be divided equally.

Shared condominium photovoltaic

Il condominium photovoltaicas already mentioned, can also be installed so that all condominiums can take advantage of it. Also in this case, the discipline is regulated by the Civil Code, which defines the areas of action for the works.

The system can be proposed by a single condominium owner or by multiple apartment owners. The project must then be discussed in condominium meeting and put to the vote: in order to be approved, the approval of the majority of the participants in the meeting is required and at least the half of the thousandths of the entire condominium.

The installed power is very variable, in fact it depends on the size of the building and the number of apartments. Generally, for condominiums with a shared system at least 20 KW are installedon a roof area of ​​approximately 90 square metres.

Photovoltaic in condominiums: bonuses and tax breaks

Even photovoltaics for condominiums can take advantage of the different ones tax breaks made available by the State in recent years, to push for the self-production of clean energy.

For example, the condominiums were included in the already existing – and being modified in 2023 – Bonus al 110%: in this case, however, the installation of solar panels is linked to other energy efficiency measures in the building, such as the provision of a thermal coat.

For the entire course of 2023, however, the service will remain active 50% deduction of the expense supported, for a roof maximum investment of 96,000 euros. This benefit can be exploited through a tax credit, which the State will return to individual condominium owners over the course of a few years or with a direct discount on the invoice.

In this case, the company that will carry out the work will then collect the credit accrued with the State itself.

Photovoltaic for condominiums: is it worth it?

Ma It’s really worth thinking about photovoltaics for condominiums? The answer, as is easy to imagine, is absolutely positive. Self-producing energy is always convenient and the expense incurred is amortized in a few years, both with savings on the bill and with the resale to the supplier – on-site exchange – of the excess energy produced .

Certainly, it is condominium installations for individuals that benefit most from it: if correctly sized – for example with 6 KW and a supporting storage system – it is not unlikely to reach the threshold of full energy independence.

Also on the cooking and heating front since, with 6 KW, even energy-intensive induction hobs or electric boilers will be able to be managed without any problems. If you consider that a 6 KW system costs less than 15,000 euros, and that you can take advantage of the 50% deduction, the expense is far from excessive.

But also the shared photovoltaic It has undeniable advantages: although it is not always able to guarantee the full energy independence of each individual condominium owner, since there is often no possibility of guaranteeing 6 KW to each individual, the costs are still significantly reduced.

The energy used for common spaces, such as stair lighting or elevators, is practically eliminated. At home, however, you can achieve a 70% reduction on your bill, combined with a storage system. If the batteries are not present, you can still save between 30 and 45%.

And considering how the investment is shared between all condominiums, the expense per family unit is also reduced: around 1,500 euros per home.

How long does a condominium system last

A question to ask, however, is about life of a system. Generally speaking, at the condominium level there is a longevity similar to that of single houses: the photovoltaic panels tend to maintain their initial efficiency for 15-20 years. However, maintenance is more difficult, both due to the position of the panels themselves and a much more complex cable network.

However, in the absence of bad weather or structural damage, photovoltaics does not require major interventions, other than cyclical cleaning and periodic checks of control units and inverters.

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