ᐅ A photovoltaic system that pays for itself and breaks even on a monthly basis

Hello everyone…

Is it possible, in general terms, to install a photovoltaic system on a roof that pays for itself every month?

In other words, does it generate enough electricity so that a loan taken out for the system is covered by the savings on our electricity bills?

What is the current cost per square meter for a photovoltaic system, including installation and everything else? And how much electricity can it produce if installed on a south-east hip roof with a 28° pitch?

I have absolutely no idea about the amounts involved—both the cost of such a system and the electricity it generates.

We would probably need to install a battery as well… I also don’t know what that would cost.

A few experiences would be great, possibly even with concrete financing tips or personal stories.

Golfi90 schrieb:

Hello everyone...

Is it possible to generally say whether a photovoltaic system installed on the roof can pay for itself monthly?

In other words, can it generate enough electricity for a loan taken out for the system to be covered by the savings on our electricity bill?

What is the current cost per square meter for a photovoltaic system including installation and everything else? And how much electricity would such a system produce if installed on a south/east hipped roof with a 28° roof pitch?

I have absolutely no idea about the amounts involved—how much such a system costs and how much electricity it generates.

We would probably need a battery installed... I also don’t know how much that would cost...

Some user experiences would be great. Possibly even with concrete financing tips or experiences.

Here’s a counter question: how should a system pay for itself from day one with a roughly 9.9 kWp photovoltaic system and 8 kWh battery, based on an estimated €20,000 (EUR) investment (which still has to be financed)? With optimal use, you might achieve about 70% self-sufficiency over the year. You will still need to buy about 30% of your electricity. Especially if something breaks (for example, the inverter), which is quite possible, any calculations won’t add up anymore, even without considering the battery.

Zaba12 schrieb:

Just a counter question: how is a system (with 9.9kW peak photovoltaic and 8kW storage), estimated at a €20,000 investment (which still needs financing), supposed to pay for itself from day one?

That means: The savings plus feed-in remuneration cover the financing installment. Without storage, this should roughly work out with a 10-year loan term. With storage, a longer financing period would probably be needed.

Golfi90 schrieb:

Is it possible to say this as a general rule

No, it is not possible to say that as a general rule.

Those who source the modules directly from Asia pay almost nothing for them. If they also handle most of the installation themselves, with help from friends who are installers or electricians, the overall cost is minimal and the system pays for itself very quickly.

On the other hand, if you have to go to a professional for project planning (ideally a general contractor) and pay absurdly high prices there, comparable to modules that were formerly made in Germany, and have everything done by others, then it hardly pays off within the expected service life.

@HAL06120 I also considered that briefly, but without a storage system, only about 30% can be self-consumed. The electricity that is sold and consumed must be taxed, interest is paid on the 12,000€ (about $13,000) loan, and something will inevitably break.

This is something all the ROI calculators from solar installers don’t account for.

So, in my opinion, the monthly savings of 100€ (about $110) over 10 years won’t cover everything within that period.

However, a photovoltaic system is still a good way to reduce the electricity bill. No question about that.

Storage only with subsidy. That amounts to easily 6,000–10,000 € (6,600–11,000 USD) that you will never recover.