Collective self-consumption
On April 5, 2019, RD 244/2019 was approved, which incorporates collective self-consumption. Thanks to this, several consumers can be associated with the same generation plant, thus sharing the energy generated among several consumers. In this way, the facilities can be profitable much sooner, while self-consumption will be promoted in communities of owners.
Generation and consumption must be close to each other and associated with them. Therefore, one of the following conditions must be fulfilled:
- They are connected to the internal network of the associated consumers or linked to them through direct lines. These facilities will be called facilities close to the internal network.
- They are connected to any low voltage network derived from the same transformation center. These facilities will be called nearby facilities across the network.
- Both generation and consumption are connected in low voltage. Also, the distance between them is below 500 meters. These installations will be called nearby installations across the network.
- Both generation and consumption are located in the same cadastral reference according to its first 14 digits or, where appropriate, according to the provisions of the twentieth additional provision of RD 413/2014, of June 6, which regulates the activity of electricity production from renewable energy sources, cogeneration and waste. These installations will be called nearby installations across the network.
The objective pursued by this figure is to allow self-consumption both with generation facilities located in the same building and with others that are located in the vicinity. Thus, for example, self-consumption facilities with photovoltaic plants can be found using the best orientations of adjoining buildings.
How is the generated energy distributed?
RD 244/2019, of April 5, which regulates self-consumption, provides for the existence of coefficients to distribute energy in collective self-consumption. The value of these distribution coefficients depends on the agreement between the participants, with the only requirement that they are constant values. These criteria and coefficients must be included in the agreement between the parties. Each consumer must send them to the distributor directly or through their marketing company. Annex I of Royal Decree 244/2019, of April 5, establishes that:
“The value of these coefficients may be determined based on the power that each of the consumers is willing to pay, or the economic contribution of each one or any other criteria, as long as there is an agreement signed by all the participants and provided that the sum of these coefficients βi of all consumers participating in collective self-consumption is one. In any case, the value of said coefficients must be constant.”
As a last resort solution, and if the participants do not submit different values, the rule provides distribution coefficients calculated from the maximum power contracted by the participating consumers.
The distribution agreement is a document that all the participants of a collective self-consumption installation must sign, setting the criteria for distributing the energy produced among all the participants. This agreement must include the following information:
- Self-consumption mode of the collective self-consumption installation
- The CAU (Self-consumption Code)
- Associated consumers: NIF, CUPS and distribution coefficients
- The associated generation facility or facilities
Who can take advantage of a distributed photovoltaic installation?
Many consumers can make use of a shared self-consumption installation. The most common examples are the following:
- Collective self-consumption in a residential and/or business building.
- Shared self-consumption in business parks
- Collective installations in residential areas
What are the benefits of collective self-consumption?
The main advantages of collective self-consumption come in terms of amortization of the investment:
- The initial outlay is less
- The economic recovery is shorter
- A larger area is available for installation