ᐅ Photovoltaic Systems: Advantages, Disadvantages, Experiences, and Is It Worthwhile?

Lumpi_LE schrieb:
However, there is also the small business regulation, where you don’t have to do that.

But then you won’t be able to reclaim the VAT paid on the purchase either. And you really need a high electricity production in the first few years to make that worthwhile.

bortel schrieb:
I would definitely buy my system again. I generate 50% of the total electricity I need myself, the rest is fed back into the grid... the system paid for itself after 7 years. I am very satisfied.

How do you achieve 50% self-consumption without a battery?

Bau_Bambi schrieb:
For me, being taxed means that I have to pay extra money on the electricity I generate myself, even though I could use it "for free" without having to buy any from the supplier. So I would be taxed on my self-generated electricity, meaning I pay extra and then pay twice because I still have to buy some more.
I probably don’t know enough about this. Maybe it makes sense to discuss it again with the architect and energy consultant.

You have to look at it from a business perspective, since the photovoltaic system operates as a business asset. If you take any electricity from the business for personal use, that has to be taxed.

This is comparable to the private use of a company car by a business owner. If the owner’s logbook shows the vehicle being used 70% for business and 30% for private purposes, but all costs are deducted and the full value-added tax (VAT) on invoices is reclaimed from the tax authority as input tax, then the owner effectively benefits in the private sector. Therefore, the owner must pay tax on the self-consumption corresponding to the 30% private use.

nordanney schrieb:
But then you won’t get the VAT you paid on the purchase back either. And you really need a large electricity production in the first few years to make that worthwhile.

You can switch after 6 years anyway. Basically, the difference has become so small now that it’s not worth the hassle with the tax office just to save a few euros.

bortel schrieb:
6.24 kWp
A former schoolmate owns a company that designed the system for me. I purchased the materials from there.
He said that is all you really need; in terms of price-to-performance ratio, that size is absolutely sufficient... you can always go bigger, but you also have to consider your budget.

The general recommendation is to make the system as large as possible and without storage, as it pays off faster. Typical sizes are up to 9.9 kWp and then from around 13 kWp. But with feed-in tariffs, you don’t really have to worry about that.

Getting 20% of the costs reimbursed on the first day is not something I would consider a "small difference."