It is enough to look around Polish villages and suburbs to notice that photovoltaics has recently begun to develop dynamically. Owners of detached houses, as well as developers, have understood how attractive an investment a photovoltaic installation is. It is ecological and drastically reduces the household's demand for grid electricity. In short - thanks to such a system, a building can even become self-sufficient in this respect. The investment starts to pay off immediately, thanks to which rising energy prices do not affect the household. However, it is worth knowing what expense you must first reckon with when deciding on photovoltaic panels .
From the article you will learn:
- what determines the price of a photovoltaic installation,
- what is the cost of producing 1 kWh according to the power guarantee,
- how much does it cost to install photovoltaic panels?
What does the cost of a photovoltaic installation consist of?
The final price of a photovoltaic installation is determined by parameters such as:
- quality of the components used,
- system size,
- conditions of installation of the installation.
Taking all of them into account, a photovoltaic installation usually costs around PLN 4,000-6,000 for every 1 kWp. This means that the average investment in a photovoltaic system will pay off within 6-9 years.
Let's get down to specifics, i.e. the individual components of photovoltaic installations. To what extent does each of them affect the final price? How much does a photovoltaic installation really cost? What to look for when choosing photovoltaic panels?
Want to learn more about changes to the RES Act? Read our Regional Technical Advisor's article: Photovoltaic installations. Time for the next step!
Electrician
Approximately 10% of the installation price is the cost of connecting the inverter to the panels and preparing the appropriate documentation and diagram.
Photovoltaic installation
Another 10% of the costs are for skilled workers with height qualifications. The price of installation may vary depending on the conditions at the installation site.
Construction of a photovoltaic installation
The first component worth taking a closer look at is the price of the supporting structure of the photovoltaic installation. Its cost (approx. 15% of the total amount) depends primarily on whether the system is mounted on a flat roof, a pitched roof, or on the ground:
Photovoltaic installation on a flat roof - due to the angles of sunlight in our region, you should not lay the panels completely flat. If you have such a roof, you must invest in a special structure for the photovoltaic installation. The situation is not so different from mounting on a pitched roof.
Photovoltaic installation on a pitched roof - in this case, the type of roofing will have an impact on the price. The easiest way to mount solar panels is on sheet metal, the most difficult - on roof tiles, which requires the use of aluminum profiles. So you will notice differences in prices, although they will not be significant.
Photovoltaic installation on the ground - definitely the most expensive solution, intended for owners of roofs that are heavily shaded or not suitable for installing solar panels.
Inverter
An inverter (also known as a converter) is a device that converts the direct current produced by the panels into alternating current. It is quite complex, which means that it can wear out even faster than the modules themselves. For this reason, it is not worth saving on it. While a photovoltaic installation can operate with one damaged panel, any inverter failure means the end of the entire system.
The cost of the inverter (approx. 20% of the price of the entire installation) depends on its type, the length of the warranty period, and the brand. Cheaper models will need to be replaced after 12-15 years of operation. More expensive ones will also start to break down after that time, but in their case it will probably be enough to replace just a few components, which will provide them with another 5-10 years of trouble-free operation.
Photovoltaic panels
Photovoltaic modules are definitely the most expensive element of the installation. Their cost is up to 45% of the final price. The entire system is based on them. They are sometimes assessed in terms of how much you have to pay for 1 Wp of power, although this is not a completely reliable comparison. The size of the panels is also of great importance.
The prices of modules are determined by their efficiency, warranty period, and the brand responsible for their production. Generally, the lower the costs of 1 Wp of installation power, the smaller the size and the longer the warranty, the better the photovoltaic panels. It is important to find a golden mean among these criteria that will guarantee the highest possible profitability of the investment.
What is the cost of producing 1 kWh according to the power guarantee?
One of the most reliable ways to verify the profitability of a photovoltaic installation is to calculate the price for guaranteed kilowatt-hours . The idea is that as a result of use, photovoltaic panels gradually lose power. Its maximum loss is described in the yield guarantee. It is therefore easy to determine which modules provide the highest guaranteed yield over the years.
On this basis, it is worth calculating how much it costs to produce 1 kWh of electricity by individual panel models. This value will range from 7 to 20 groszy . Remember, however, that such calculations only include the characteristics of the modules themselves. They do not take into account the impact of any individual conditions or the costs of other elements (inverter, etc.).
Photovoltaic panels in the wholesale offer
Examples of photovoltaic panels in the Onninen offer
When looking for the best photovoltaic panels for your installation, it is worth checking out the products available in our wholesale assortment. Here are 3 examples of modules that you will find in Onninen's offer:
It is a photovoltaic panel made of polycrystalline silicon. It is used both as a source of electrical energy in autonomous systems and as an element of larger installations. Its parameters and compact dimensions make it ideal for installation in medium-power photovoltaic systems with a voltage of 24 V DC .
This is a photovoltaic module made in half-cell and Low LID Mono Perc technologies. They translate into high efficiency and long product life. The panel has a solid black frame. It is characterized by positive tolerance (0 to +5 W) and slower power degradation. It also guarantees higher energy efficiency at lower operating temperature and reduced resistance loss at lower operating current.
It is a monocrystalline panel, which is characterized by high efficiency and durability, and was made in half-cell technology. It guarantees lower internal resistance and significantly lower losses compared to modules based on a classic design. What's more, this solution translates into generating higher output power and better performance during everyday operation. This is due to the lower temperature coefficient of power and reduced shading effects on power generation.
How much does a photovoltaic installation cost? Summary
As you can see, the cost of investing in photovoltaics includes many different elements. The lion's share of the total expense is made up of solar panels. The prices of the inverter, supporting structure, installation services and electricity are also important. However, you can be sure that any money spent on obtaining green energy are worth it. Photovoltaic installation is a guarantee of high efficiency and a quick return on investment in order to obtain renewable energy sources!
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