Solar panels in residential communities: everything you need to know

Solar panels are becoming more and more common as they offer an excellent alternative to save on energy consumption. The world is moving towards a sustainable home revolution. If you’re interested in doing your part for sustainability, below we will show you everything you need to know about solar panels in residential communities.

How many residents have to agree before you can install solar panels in a residential community?

This is one of the biggest concerns when installing solar panels in a residential community, because it is challenging to get all owners to come to an agreement. You will be interested to know that the answer varies according to the situation.

For example, if you’d like to install solar panels to cover the energy consumption of common areas or of all the homes in the block, you will need a simple majority of votes and quotas present to obtain approval. However, if you would like a private installation that can be extended to the rest of the community, i.e. installing panels in just one part of the community with the option to extend them to cover other residents, you will need ⅓ of the votes and quotas of the community.

How to install solar panels in a residential community?

Solar panel installation is a fairly common process these days due to the increase in electricity costs. It is also a way to gain independence from energy companies and achieve a better quality of life. It is important to follow the steps below to install solar panels successfully in residential communities.

• Information and organisation. It is essential that you find out as much as possible about the Spanish Royal Decree 244/2019, as this regulates the conditions for the self-consumption of photovoltaic energy.
• Hold a residents’ meeting. It’s a good idea to establish a group of 4 or 5 people to manage the process and develop a joint initiative from the beginning.
• Draw up a budget and establish the installation conditions.
• Obtain an energy report, a project outline and a turnkey model quotation.

These are the essential steps for installing solar panels in residential communities. It is a process that requires a lot of patience, communication, negotiation and consent, but it’s worth the effort.

Legal requirements for installing solar panels in residential communities

If you’re looking to install solar panels at your residential community, you will need to meet the following legal and technical requirements:

• Obtain a building permit, taking local regulations into consideration. This may be either a major or minor building permit.
• Perform a technical and economic viability study beforehand.
• Consult with a specialist solar energy technician. They will need to supervise the installation.
• Comply with current regulations and the community regulations. You will also need to meet the local government’s safety, quality and environmental standards.

Is it cost-effective to install solar panels in a residential community?

Solar panels are very useful tools but the savings you make will depend on the size of the residential community, the amount of energy consumed, the number of solar panels being installed and the amount of energy generated.

According to the studies carried out, a residential community can save up to 70% on their annual energy bills. With this figure in mind, it is clear that renewable energy is a very effective way of improving people’s quality of life. Generally speaking, you will recover the cost of installing solar panels within a period of five to seven years. 

Benefits of installing solar panels in residential communities

There are several clear benefits to installing solar panels in residential communities, which we will explain below:

• Lower electricity bills. The main feature of solar panels is that they generate electricity through the sun’s energy, a resource available to everyone. This enables you to significantly reduce your energy bills, improving your general wellbeing.
• Savings in the long term. Installing solar panels may seem like a costly option at first. However, once you’ve recovered the cost of the installation, you will save money on your electricity bills for life.
• More sustainable homes. The world is crying out for home modernisation through the use of renewable energy. Bioclimatic architecture is making a big difference by helping to reduce our carbon footprint, so we can live in a world that is much more respectful of the environment.
• Boost the value of your property. Solar panels increase the value of a property as they optimise energy efficiency. This is because more and more potential buyers are looking to live in an efficient and sustainable way.

At AQ Acentor we offer home developments with high environmental performance as part of our commitment to combat climate change.