In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Spanish government has come up with a range of measures to reduce energy use, which is a good thing; what I don’t understand is why there isn’t a greater focus on using a resource for which our country is best known: the sun.
Sadly, in Spain, anybody interested in installing solar energy in their home faces a highly confusing array of rules and regulations and lack of information. Generally speaking, people who install solar panels do so on the basis of what an installer tells them, and who will try to overcome any initial qualms in the hope of making a sale. As a result, the sizing of an installation, the cost, the characteristics of the equipment or the expectations of savings or subsidies are rarely based on the needs of the house, and few alternatives are explored.
In contrast to Spain’s clearly under-developed solar market, competitors in other countries are beginning to offer solutions based on economies of scale, offering much more affordable cost levels through an online-only presence and focusing on the stages where they can really add value, thus enabling a much faster market development.
France has passed legislation requiring all new buildings to be fitted with solar panels, while Spain lags behind, due to years of misinformation and regulatory intimidation. Few people here know that solar energy is not only the cheapest way to produce electricity, but also quickly produces a feeling of abundance: installation is not particularly complex, and immediately begins to produce an amount of energy reflected in lower bills.
Whether we are talking about a single-family house with total control over its roof, where on sunny days total energy self-sufficiency is possible, or a small apartment that installs a few panels on its balcony that can immediately contribute up to a quarter of its electricity needs, the point is that going solar quickly translates into savings. Technology such as solar window glazing, further increases the potential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It is inconceivable that a country like Spain doesn’t have solar panels installed everywhere, and that instead, the government is asking people not to use their air conditioning or heating.
The investment needed to convert a huge country like the United States to solar power is estimated at around $16 billion, plus batteries and storage alternatives. In Spain, the investment would be far less. But beyond grandiose schemes for entire countries and the construction of huge solar farms that can be combined with agricultural use, we need to understand installing solar panels in our homes adds up to huge energy savings, and should be encouraged in every possible way, especially in a country with an abundance of sunshine.
What will it take to get our governments to understand the potential of solar energy?
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This post was previously published on Enrique Dans’ blog.
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