Luxembourg has an ambitious target to increase the share of energy from renewable sources to 25% by 2030. The development of photovoltaics is one of the solutions recommended in Luxembourg’s integrated national energy and climate plan (PNEC, Predicted No-Effect Concentration). Currently, the Grand Duchy already ranks 5th in Europe in terms of the area of photovoltaic installations per inhabitant. Does the adventure of owning your own photovoltaic system appeal to you?
How does a photovoltaic system work?
Solar energy is clean, economical, available and renewable. There are two technologies available for its conversion: solar panels, which can be used to generate heat for domestic hot water or for home heating, and photovoltaic panels, which can be used to convert the sun’s rays into electricity.
The generation of photovoltaic electricity is simple. Each module is composed of a large number of photovoltaic cells, essentially silicon-based electronic components. These semiconductor materials generate electricity when sunlight shines on them. This is called the “photovoltaic effect”, which was discovered by Becquerel in 1839.
What is the active power of a photovoltaic module?
The active power of a photovoltaic module can measure the amount of light energy that is converted into electricity. The active power is expressed as a percentage. This cannot be 100% because the conversion process of solar energy leads to unavoidable losses.
The active power of a photovoltaic module depends on the technology:
- Modules of the “monocrystalline” type produce an active power of around 18 %;
- Modules of the “polycrystalline” type are most commonly found on the market; they are cheaper, but only have a weaker active power of about 13 to 15 %;
- Modules of the “amorphous” type have an active power of between 6 and 9 %.
Other factors determine the active power of a photovoltaic system:
- The power of the modules (expressed in watts peak (Wp));
- The module area;
- The duration of sunshine at the location;
- The orientation and inclination of the modules;
- The solar shielding, i.e. everything that blocks the sunlight, e.g. trees, buildings, etc.
Is a photovoltaic system a good investment for me?
The Grand Duchy is certainly less sunny than the Côte d’Azur, but a photovoltaic project can find its place in any geographical zone. You will need to provide larger panels for your house than in sunnier places.
In addition to solar exposure, you need to check the orientation and slope of your roof. A southern orientation, even southwest or southeast, with no shading in summer or winter is recommended (watch out for tree foliage). Ideally, the roof pitch should be 30°.
Online tools for assessing the effective power of a photovoltaic system
If you want to find out the solar potential of your roof in just a few clicks, enter your address in the Solar Cadastre , the national geoportal of the Grand Duchy.
On it, you can also run a simulation of the solar output. The tool evaluates your annual electricity production based on the area and power of the photovoltaic panels, the orientation and the slope of the roof. It calculates the investment costs for installation and grid connection if you want to feed your generated electricity into the grid. You can easily measure the positive effects and profitability of your project over 15 years.
With solar2go, diego provides you with a network of qualified trade partners for the installation of your photovoltaic system. In particular, you benefit from a fully comprehensive insurance policy and a manufacturing guarantee of 5 years from commissioning if the specified production threshold is not reached. An all-inclusive formula that gives you peace of mind!
How do I finance the installation of my photovoltaic project?
Whether you are renovating or building a new house, you can take advantage of state financial aid from PRIMe House for your photovoltaic system.
The subsidy amounts to 20% of the investment costs with a maximum of 500 EUR per KWc. Please note: The maximum output of the system must not exceed 30 KWc. Useful information can be found here.
Many municipalities offer further subsidies for the use of renewable energy. If you would like to know if this financial support is available to you, contact your local authority.
Please note that some banks in Luxembourg grant climate bonds to encourage the energy renovation of residential buildings older than 10 years. This can be used to pre-finance work at low or zero interest rates.
Sources :
- mydiego.lu
- myenergy.lu
- ADEME L’électricité solaire, 2019
