Watts Renovables installs SolarEdge rooftop solar and storage technology across one in eight homes of neighboring villages in Catalonia

• Girona-based renewables specialist, Watts Renovables, cites the growing demand for solar and storage in the region as a new trend driven by homeowners seeking to reduce their dependence on the grid and lower energy bills.

• One in eight homeowners of neighbouring villages in the Catalonia region recently-installed homes are saving 1,332 Euros a year on average with solar, and even more for those with a home battery for self-consumption.

Girona, Spain – (April 11, 2024) – SolarEdge Technologies, a global leader in smart energy technology, today announces the growing adoption of its residential rooftop solar solutions in Catalonia. This is exemplified by two neighbouring towns Celrà and Bordils, where one in eight homes are enjoying significant energy bill savings since making the move to solar.

According to Watts Renovable – a Girona-based specialist in renewable energy who installed all 66 homes across Celrà and Bordils – the homeowners decided to invest in solar in a bid to reduce their dependence on the grid and lower energy bills having been impacted by fluctuating energy price rises for many years. Comprising more than 1,000 solar panels, and 66 inverters and 900 power optimizers from SolarEdge, the residential homes vary between 2 kW and 20 kW installation sizes, some including SolarEdge Home Batteries to enable self-consumption.

The combined solar power generated by the 66 homes annually is approximately 506,250 kWh, resulting in reduced CO2 emissions equating to 243 tons a year. Per household, approximately 8,347 kWh of solar power is produced annually resulting in energy bill savings of 1,332 Euros per year. For those who invested in a DC-coupled SolarEdge Home battery, the energy bill savings can be even greater with self-consumption – powering their homes in the evening when electricity tariffs are at their highest using stored solar energy produced during the day.

Albert Juan Casademont, Founder at Watts Renovable, says: “We are delighted with the results we have achieved in Celrà and Bordils, and we will use the success of these installations to help unlock the benefits of solar and storage for other towns in the region. However, investing in solar still represents a big financial outlay for some residents, so by leveraging Power Optimizers on the roof, we’re able to ensure maximum energy production from each solar panel and optimize energy bill savings for customers. As a result, we’ve seen a reduction in the payback period to between 5 to 8 years depending on the size of the PV system.”

Power Optimizers attach directly to solar panels and enable them to operate independently from other panels on the same string. This means that if a solar panel becomes dirty or is shaded, for example by nearby houses or trees, connected panels in the same string will not be impaired. This is an important advantage compared to traditional string inverter systems, whereby if one panel is underperforming, then all other connected panels will drop in energy production to the level of the lowest performing panel. For a solar installer, Power Optimizers also provide greater design flexibility with an installation, particularly where the placement or orientation of solar panels is complex.

Casademont, explains: “In a traditional solar system, panel optimal efficiency is restricted to identical string lengths and orientations. This was a challenge on some of the residential properties in Celrà and Bordils where the roof space either had some shaded areas or interrupted by obstructions such as skylights or chimneys. With a DC-optimized system we have much greater design flexibility, meaning more solar panels can fit onto the roof, maximizing energy production and profitability for the homeowner.”

Pere Fuster, homeowner in region, commented: “As part of my work as a technical architect, I actively seek environmental solutions to make the projects I am involved with greener and more sustainable. Recently, I attended a professional development course on EU Next Generation Funds where a representative from Watts Renovables spoke about the benefits of installing solar.  Intrigued by this economic opportunity, I contacted them immediately as I knew I couldn’t let the opportunity to make my own home more sustainable slip.

“The installation of SolarEdge made the transition to solar effortless thanks to intuitive software found in the converters, batteries and backup which makes the system easy to understand and run. I’m really satisfied with every element of the PV installation and would certainly recommend the switch to green energy as the financial results are instantly visible.”

Iñaki Pacha, SolarEdge Country Manager for Spain & Portugal, concludes: “The story of these two towns going green exemplifies a growing desire from homeowners to become more energy independent and lead more sustainable lives. However, the effectiveness of a residential solar installation is always dependent on the vision of the installer to not only specify the right technologies that maximize energy production and ensure a faster ROI for customers, but also ensuring the upmost safety standards are included in the PV system. This is why Watts Renovable specified SolarEdge, and we’re delighted to see word of mouth is driving more interest in our technology across the region.”