jumbojetjim

I'm sure this subject has been discussed before, but after hours of trawling the internet, I still haven't found an official definitive answer to this question:

We are totally off-grid, with no connection whatsoever to mains electricity and the nearest pylon is about 900 metres away.

I've become very confused and have just read a post that suggests off-grid properties have to 'pay up to 60,000 Euros to connect to the grid, then pay taxes on what they generate, PLUS give any unused power from their batteries to the grid, with NO compensation'!!!

Does anyone know if we have to register and therefore pay tax, on our solar/battery system, or not please? (We live in a detached house, in the countryside, near Baza, in the province of Granada and have a 3kW solar system).

Many thanks, Jim.

Mark604

First I've heard of this and I can only think the post you refer to means that if you do ever want to connect to the grid you could pay up to .........etc etc.
Nobody is forcing you to connect to the grid in the first place, but if you do happen to want to do so it'd be expensive. As for the rest of it, no idea and it does sound a bit ridiculous.
It just so happens that I am totally solar as well and when we priced up connected to the main supply it would be over 40,000 euros. So we didn't bother.

jumbojetjim

Hi Mark,
When I Googled 'solar power in Spain' to look for a replacement solar system for my ageing existing one, many posts like this started appearing...

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2016/04/16/solar-panel-law-in-spain-could-cost-thousands-of-independent-energy-producers-millions-in-fines/

johnnyone

This is recent.

Solar tax slows green energy in Spain | All media content | DW.COM | 16.02.2017

Completely mad.

Mark604

This is the thing -

"Any owners who have failed to register their photovoltaic (PV) installations and connect to the national grid by this week are facing fines of up to €60million, claims Greenpeace."

That reads to me that if you want to or are connected to the national grid, you have to register to do so.
If stand alone, i.e. no connection to the grid at all, you don't need to register.
I'd like to see more about this though and will also look into it.

Mark604

A quick look into this shows it was started in 2015.
This states from 2016 -
"While the large-scale tenders are anticipated with mixed feelings, the controversial ‘Sun Tax’ which punishes consumers for solar self-consumption may finally see its demise at the hands of a minority government. Perez said the congress has already admitted a proposal to change the legislation and this will be debated. Furthermore, since the conservative party, which brought in the sun tax, is a minority, there is now leverage for all the opposition parties to come together to remove the tax. Each of the parties has previously signed an agreement promising to repeal the tax should a majority against the PP be formed in parliament.
Donoso said: “We expect that the challenge to the law we propose will be finally approved.”

https://www.pv-tech.org/news/spains-...-for-big-solar

Then on March 10th 2016 -

"Spain’s solar association Union Espanola Fotovoltaica (UNEF) reports a majority of members in the Spanish parliament have signed an agreement removing a controversial Royal Decree against self-consumption of solar energy, also known as the ‘sun tax.’ The agreement has been made within 100 days of a new government being formed."

https://cleantechnica.com/2016/03/10...itive-sun-tax/

Mark604

In any case, for now I'll wait and see what happens.

amideislas

In any case, it's still ridiculously expensive and loaded with unnecessary bureaucracy to get connected to the grid (speculatively, due to the monopolistic structure of Spain's politically powerful energy sector).

I did read some time ago that the so-called "sun tax" as proposed would be in direct violation of a number of EU laws, and if approved, would end up in EU courts and would likely lose miserably. The energy cartel is still licking their chops though. It pays to have a gargantuan legal team on retainer.

jumbojetjim

Thanks for your replies everyone.

From what I've read, I'm pretty sure that off-grid properties like ours are safe from being taxed or fined - for now at least. We have no choice but to remain off-grid, as the cost of connection plus the ongoing charges, simply wouldn't be viable for us.