What is meant by expanding and enhancing a photovoltaic system?
With the terms expansion or enhancement There are two distinct, but complementary concepts of a photovoltaic system. These are respectively:
- installation of New photovoltaic modules that constitute a new plant section, separated from the existing one, with its own inverter and production counter;
- a technical intervention on the existing system with the aim of increase their nominal power. For example, in the event that the panels installed with others more efficient are replaced or insert additional modules connected to the same connection point.
Must evaluate case by case which of the two roads to take. Definitely at least one of the two options can make sense if:
- the current plant no longer covers energy consumption of the home or company;
- have been installed or are thinking of installing New electrical devices (such as heat pumps, wallbox for electric cars, etc.);
- you want increase self -consumption and further reduce your dependence on the network;
- it is intended to adhere to one Cer (renewable energy community).
In all these scenarios, intervening on the existing system can significantly improve overall energy efficiency.
What are the advantages of the expansion and enhancement of a system?
Enhance your plant serves first of all to have one greater energy production. Whether or not it is necessary for your specific situation, it must be evaluated on a case -by -case basis, on the basis of the consumption, habits and characteristics of your home. In general, producing more clean energy also serves to increase your percentage of self -consumption and therefore ad further break down the billas well as to increase the palatability of your property on the market.
It is interesting above all to note that deciding to expand your system allows you to access new incentives and opportunitiesas in the case of the CER: even if you already have a system, you can access the prize rate of Energy community with a new system section. Also, since the modules are becoming more and more powerful, often replace them allows produce more energy occupying less space on the roof.
Expansion of a non -encouraged system
The enhancement of a non -encouraged photovoltaic system It consists of an intervention aimed at increasing the power of generation through the integration of new modules, additional or more performing inverters, and, if necessary, the adaptation of electrical protections and paintings. Unlike plants subject to regulatory constraints linked to incentives, in non -encouraged systems it is possible to proceed with the enhancement without having to install a separate section or a new production counterprovided that the intervention complies with the technical and regulatory requirements in force (CEI 0-21, CEI 0-16) and is compatible with the existing connection point.
From a practical point of view, the enhancement must be evaluated according to the residual capacity for the connection to the networkat the existing lines and to the electrical and structural compatibility of the sitein particular for partial or total self -consumption plants. If the increase in power implies a change in the contractual conditions with the distributor, it will be necessary to start a new connection process according to the provisions of the Authority (Arera) and Terna. In addition, the intervention must be recorded at the Gaudì system, updating the system tab.
In any case, it is recommended a preventive analysis of producibility and an accurate sizing To avoid overloads or unnecessary investment waste.
Expansion of incentivized systems: regulatory limits and opportunities
If your system was built with the Energy account incentivesexist stringent limits relating to the enhancement. In fact, the legislation prohibits the direct expansion of the plants encouraged with the energy account (in force until 2013). However:
- And You can install a new system next to the existing one, provided that it is Equipped with dedicated inverters and counter;
- The two plants must have separate measures to allow GSE to monitor energy production and guarantee correct access to incentives;
- The exchange counter can remain the same.
This configuration allows you to keep incentives on the original system and to add, at the same time, new production capacity.
The enhancement of a system: what the GSE says
In the case of enhancementeven without accessing new incentives, the GSE requires:
- compulsory communication within 30 days from the moment of the installation of the enhancer part;
- Registration of the new structure on Gaudì (the Terna information system);
- in the case of incentivized systemsseparated measures for the energy produced by the incentive part and on the enhanced side;
- CENSIMP Code and POD code to be indicated in communication;
- The awaited of the preliminary outcome by the GSE, which has up to 90 days to respond.
ATTENTION: any modification not communicated or non -compliant can involve the suspension of incentives.
The enhancement and the CER: a strategic opportunity
The Renewable energy community (CER) They represent the new tool to access interesting incentives and contributions. Those who are part of a Cer, in fact, have the right to receive a percentage on the Award rate recognized by the GSE on shared energy. This reward rate, free from taxes, can be combined with the earnings relating to the dedicated retreat and is therefore particularly advantageous to amortize the investment faster.
In the municipalities under 5 thousand inhabitants it is also possible to request a Lost contribution that covers up to 40% expenses for the purchase of a photovoltaic system (>> with the new decree Cert this threshold will be raised to 50 thousand inhabitants).
The prize rate and the non -refundable contribution are available for both newly built systems and for enhancement.
How the enhancement for the CER works works
In the context of the CER, when it comes to enhancement of a photovoltaic system We mean the increase in the installed power, thanks to the creation of a New plant section connected to the same connection point as the existing system. This type of intervention, however, requires precise formal and technical management. The new enhanced section must be recorded on the portal Gaudì di Terna with the creation of a production unit (UP) dedicated, distinct from the original UP.
In order for the electricity produced to be correctly counted and contributes to sharing within the CER, it is mandatory to install special measurements that separately detect the energy produced by the new section compared to that generated by the existing side. It is important to know that, in the case of enhancement, only the energy introduced into the net by additional section It is relevant to determine shared self -consumption or any incentive, while the production of the original plant remains bound to the previous rules.
The legislation expressly prohibits the enhancement interventions that involve the Replacement of photovoltaic modules or generators With others of higher power: only the addition is admitted, not the modification in the improvement sense of the existing technology. Even the portions of system that do not participate in energy sharing must be equipped with dedicated measuring instruments, to allow a correct attribution of the energy entered.
